Partners

The Ministry of Environment, Fisheries and Sustainable Development (MEPDD) is the Governance authority of protected areas in Chad, with whom African Parks has signed management agreements for the Greater Zakouma Ecosystem [including Zakouma National Park, Siniaka Minia National Park and Bahr Salamat Faunal Reserve], Ennedi Natural and Cultural Reserve and the Aouk Project. In 2010, the Ministry and African Parks signed a public-private management agreement for Zakouma National Park, followed in 2017 with a 10-year agreement for the development of the Greater Zakouma Ecosystem, and a 15-year agreement for the creation, funding and management of the Ennedi Natural and Cultural Reserve. MEPDD is represented by its minister M. Hassan Bakhit Djamous

A joint initiative of Save the Elephants and the Wildlife Conservation Network, the ECF is a flexible and responsive fund that supports the best efforts by the most trusted organisations globally, working to secure a future for elephant in Africa. Since 2015, the ECF has not only contributed more than $6.6 million to African Parks, but also expertise on best practice in elephant conservation. This has benefitted critical surveillance, intelligence-based protection, and human-elephant conflict mitigation activities for some of our most threatened elephant populations.

The EU has been a crucial long-standing partner of African Parks, driving joint conservation and development goals in Central, East and West Africa. Since 2005, this partnership has fostered stability in fragile regions attracting additional funding and new partners. The EU’s support has been critical in managing large landscapes, enhancing safety and security for both people and wildlife, and creating opportunities in green sectors. Together, we remain committed to advancing our shared vision for a sustainable future.

An initiative operated and managed by the Wildlife Conservation Network, the LRF is a nimble and flexible fund investing in the most innovative and effective projects across Africa to recover lion and restore their landscapes. Since 2017, the LRF has contributed over US$6.7 million to African Parks. This funding has benefitted ten different African Parks sites, with a particular focus on several parks in West and Central Africa, given the extreme vulnerability of lion populations in these regions. The LRF has invested heavily in Chinko in the CAR, part of a vast 65,000 km² wilderness that has immense potential for lion recovery.

INL advances security, stability, and the rule of law, prerequisites for sustainable economic development and conservation of natural resources. Since 2017, INL has partnered with African Parks on critical law enforcement support in protected areas, enhancing the professionalisation and effectiveness of rangers across Africa. While standardised operational capacity transcends all protected areas under African Parks’ management, 10 protected areas have received direct support in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, Republic of Congo, Central Africa Republic, Benin, Malawi and Zambia. INL’s support has led to the development of leadership and core training infrastructure, enables air surveillance, improves the welfare of rangers and canines, enhances technology for communication, wildlife monitoring and information management, and advances national and regional collaboration with other security and conservation partners. Evidence management training and support of judicial systems have also contributed to notable increases in wildlife crime convictions. These interventions not only safeguard wildlife but also contribute to increased security of neighbouring communities and regional stability.