EU Launches Kgalagadi Conservation Project to Protect Wildlife and Support Communities

A major European Union-funded conservation initiative has been officially launched to strengthen biodiversity protection, improve park management and enhance community resilience across the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, one of southern Africa’s most important shared ecosystems.

The project, titled Integrated Management for Biodiversity Conservation and Community Resilience in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, is supported under the EU’s Global Gateway NaturAfrica programme and will be implemented over 30 months by African Parks in partnership with International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the governments of Botswana and South Africa.

The initiative follows the signing of a grant agreement in March 2026 and builds on more than 25 years of cross-border cooperation between Botswana and South Africa in managing the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, the first Transfrontier Conservation Area established in the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Stretching across vast desert landscapes characterised by red dunes, fossil riverbeds and open savannahs, the park is home to unique wildlife adapted to extreme climatic conditions. However, rising climate pressures and competing land-use demands have increased the need for coordinated management and long-term ecological planning.

The project will focus primarily on the Botswana section of the park while also supporting selected activities in South Africa, including engagement with the ǂKhomani San community. Key priorities include strengthening institutional capacity, improving infrastructure and logistics, enhancing environmental planning, and promoting collaboration among stakeholders.

A strong emphasis has also been placed on community participation, with the project aiming to create sustainable livelihoods through wildlife and tourism-related opportunities for communities living around the park.

Early implementation will include establishing governance structures in Botswana, developing management plans for four surrounding Wildlife Management Areas, and designing tourism and community development strategies for the wider landscape.

Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment of South Africa, Narend Singh, welcomed the initiative, describing it as a milestone in regional cooperation and environmental stewardship. He said the project reinforces the 1999 bilateral agreement that established the park as a symbol of peace and shared responsibility.

European Union Ambassador to Botswana and SADC, Petra Pereyra, said the investment of €2.5 million reflects the EU’s commitment to linking conservation with sustainable development, noting that the initiative will strengthen governance, combat poaching and support inclusive growth.

Botswana’s Minister of Environment and Tourism, Wynter Boipuso Mmolotsi, said the project aligns with national development strategies, including the Economic Transformation Plan and the National Tourism Strategy, and will help test the implementation of community-based natural resource management frameworks.

African Parks Chief Executive Officer Peter Fearnhead said the initiative will strengthen collaboration with governments and local communities to ensure the long-term protection of the Kgalagadi ecosystem while delivering tangible socio-economic benefits.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Luther Anukur, said the project forms part of a wider €10 million regional conservation financing facility aimed at promoting green economy transformation and strengthening livelihoods across SADC.