Partners

The Government of Benin made a significant five-year commitment of US$6 million when President Talon invited African Parks to assume management of Pendjari National Park in the W-Arly-Pendjari (WAP) Complex that spans Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger. The aim of the partnership is to preserve, manage, and develop this unique landscape. In addition, the Government of Benin has been instrumental in expanding our footprint into W-Benin and promoting regional security and cooperation.

The Elephant Crisis Fund (ECF), a joint initiative of Save the Elephants and the Wildlife Conservation Network, is a flexible and responsive fund that supports the best efforts from the most trusted organisations across the world working to save elephants. Since 2015, the ECF has not only contributed more than US$3.4 million to African Parks, but also expertise on best practices in elephant conservation. This has benefited critical surveillance and intelligence-based protection for some of our most threatened elephant populations in Central, Southern and Western Africa.

The Lion Recovery Fund (LRF), an initiative operated and managed by the Wildlife Conservation Network, is a nimble and flexible fund that invests in the most innovative and effective projects across Africa that can recover lions and restore their landscapes. Since 2017, the LRF has contributed more than US$2.3 million to African Parks. This funding has benefited eight different African Parks sites, but with a particular focus on several parks in West and Central Africa given the extreme vulnerability of lion populations in those regions. The LRF has invested heavily in African Parks’s Chinko site in Central African Republic, a vast 55,000 km2 wilderness with immense potential for lion recovery.

PATRIP Foundation is a non-profit organization that channels multi-donor funds into cross-border projects aimed at increased stability and integration in fragile regions. PATRIP is improving the security, conservation and social development of the border regions of Northern Benin as a donor to W National Park through a 1.7 million Euros funding for a phase I of infrastructures inside and outside the park. This project is financed by the German Federal Office through the PATRIP Foundation and KfW.

The Wyss Foundation is a private charitable foundation dedicated to supporting innovative, lasting solutions that improve lives, empower communities and strengthen connections to the land. The relationship with African Parks began in 2015 with a grant to support the restoration of Akagera National Park followed by a significant investment in Liwonde National Park and Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve, both in Malawi. In 2017, The Wyss Foundation made a ground-breaking commitment of US$65 million to provide on-going support for Akagera and the Malawi Parks along with start-up funding for five new parks. This enabled the addition of Pendjari and W National Parks in Benin, Bazaruto Archipelago National Park in Mozambique, Iona National Park in Angola, and Matusadona National Park in Zimbabwe.

The Fondation des Savanes Ouest-Africaines (FSOA) or West African Savannah Foundation, is a conservation trust fund promoting the preservation of protected areas of the W-Arly-Pendjari (WAP) Complex, while advancing education, science and local economic development. The Foundation was set up by the Beninese Government and IUCN with the financial contributions of Benin Government, Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Financial German Cooperation (Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau -KfW). The Foundation has been providing significant annual financial contribution to the successful management of the Pendjari National Park’s, since 2017. In 2019-2020, the FSOA provided 85% of funding to implement a Priority Action Plan to secure the Beninese W National Park, which evolved into a full management mandate to APN, in June 2020. The Foundation also committed promptly to cover fully funding needs to establish the first 3-months plan from the APN Mandate for APN management of Park W-Benin, up to December 2020. Its larger vision is to create a sustainable source of funding and support synergy of actions within the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex.

The United States Department of State, through the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), advances good governance, peace and security, which are prerequisites for sustainable economic development and the protection of natural resources. Since 2017, the INL has committed over US$9m to African Parks for critical law enforcement support in protected areas particularly in Chad, the DRC, Malawi, Zambia, the Republic of Congo and Benin. This support has focused on provision of ranger uniforms and patrol equipment, therefore motivating and increasing their efficiency, professionalization of law enforcement operations through refinement of law enforcement standard operating procedures, leadership development, human rights and other core training infrastructure. Intelligence units have been established to guide law enforcement operations and for more robust collaboration with national and regional security agencies, and conservation partners. INL also supports technology development, communication and information management, air surveillance, mobility equipment and canine units, as well as training of national government institutions such as the judiciary to enhance wildlife crime prosecution. Finally, INL is supporting the refinement of the organization’s Human Rights Statement of Principles, to align with the national laws of various governments, refinement of the training curriculum and training of law enforcement teams across the AP portfolio of parks on human rights to minimize violations. These interventions have strengthened parks’ capacity to counter poaching and illegal wildlife trade in these protected areas while promoting regional stability and the security of neighbouring communities. In 2023, INL has awarded AP an additional $2.8m to cover similar interventions in Odzala-Kokoua National Park in ROC, Pendjari National Park and W National Park in Benin, and the Greater Zakouma Ecosystem in Chad, over a period of two years.