The German Development Bank (KFW), through its COVID-19 Emergency and Recovery Support for Biodiversity Tanzania (ERB) project, managed by the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS), today, November 14, 2024, handed over two ISUZU FVZ vehicles worth more than TZS 600 million to the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA).
The vehicles are intended to strengthen conservation activities within the Selous Game Reserve.
At the handover ceremony held at TAWA's headquarters in Morogoro, TAWA’s Conservation Commissioner, Mabula Misungwi Nyanda, expressed his gratitude to KFW and FZS for their continued support of Tanzania’s conservation efforts.
He emphasized that the new vehicles would significantly enhance TAWA's operations and efficiency in managing conservation areas.
“We are deeply grateful to our partners at KFW and FZS, as well as other conservation supporters, for consistently backing our mission to strengthen conservation within the areas we manage,” Commissioner Mabula stated.
He also highlighted the importance of the vehicles, adding, “These vehicles will be used in various essential tasks, including building infrastructure that supports conservation and tourism activities.”
Commissioner Mabula further advised the regional heads responsible for these vehicles to ensure they are used properly and maintained on schedule to maximize their lifespan and impact.
Christian Weidner, the Project Manager for KFW in Africa, expressed the German Development Bank’s pride in contributing to conservation in Selous, one of Africa’s largest protected reserves.
He urged TAWA to deploy the vehicles to the Selous Game Reserve, where they would join efforts to enhance infrastructure and support conservation activities.
Weidner noted that the ERB project, which has a total budget of EUR 35 million and is executed in partnership with FZS, TAWA, and TANAPA, was initiated in response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The aim of the project is to assist Tanzania in rebuilding and strengthening its conservation sector in the wake of the pandemic.
Weidner also highlighted that further support is planned as part of the project, which will include tractors, patrol boats, and additional equipment to enable TAWA to fulfill its conservation mandate in the Selous Game Reserve.
