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REPUBLIC OF MALAWI

STATEMENT BY

HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF. ARTHUR PETER

MUTHARIKA, PRESIDENT OF THE

REPUBLIC OF MALAWI

AT THE

SIGNING OF THE TREATY TO FORMALLY

ESTABLISH THE MALAWI-ZAMBIA

TRANSFRONTIER CONSERVATION AREA

(TFCA)

AT

SANJIKA PALACE, 7TH JULY, 2015

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Your Excellency Edgar Chagwa Lungu, President of the

Republic of Zambia

Right Hourable Saulosi Chilima, Vice President of the

Republic of Malawi

Your Excellency Joachim Chissano, Former President of

the Republic of Mozambique and Vice Chairman of

Peace Parks Foundation Board

Your Excellencies Members of the Diplomatic Corps here

present

The Minister of Information, Tourism and Culture in

Malawi, Honourable Kondwani Nankhumwa, M.P.

The Minister of Tourism and Arts in Zambia,

Honourable Jean Kapata, M.P.

Representatives of International Cooperating Partners

here present

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen

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Let me begin by saying, if humans had no neighbours, they

would never have been human. We are what we are

because of our neighbours and, for our neighbours.

And in many senses, the people of Malawi and Zambia are

one and the same. Not even boundaries of political

convenience set by our colonial masters from a distant

past can separate us.

We are neighbours that share a common past, and a

common destiny. We share a common ecosystem that

ensures our existence. We share a common humanity, and

common cultures. We share common soil from which God

made us neighbours, the natural resources and common

wildlife. Today, we are signing a Treaty to protect the

common biological resources in a unique conservation and

development area along our boundaries. This Treaty is the

tie that binds. It is another symbolic landmark in the

development of our people and the natural resources God

gave us.

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Your Excellencies, the signing of the MALAWI-ZAMBIA

Trans-frontier Conservation Area (TFCA) Treaty is of

mutual socio-economic benefits to us and our people,

particularly those living within and adjacent to the TFCA. A

prudent conservation, management and development of

the vast wildlife, tourism and cultural resources of the area

will pay economic dividends to our people. Proper

conservation and management of our resources boosts

tourism revenues for border communities in particular, and

our two Nations significantly.

However, Ladies and Gentlemen, the right to utilize natural

resources comes with the obligation of doing so in a

responsible manner. We can only utilise these natural

resources in a manner that safeguards their welfare and

their continued existence for posterity. It is, therefore, of

critical importance that the natural ecosystems and the rich

biodiversity along the international boundaries of Malawi

and Zambia are conserved and managed in a coherent

approach ensured by this Treaty. Protection of nature is a

human obligation.

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Your Excellency, you and I are proud to recall that Malawi

and Zambia are signatories to various regional protocols

and international conservation conventions that promote

collaboration in the conservation and management of

shared natural resources along their international

boundaries. The signing of this Treaty is a fulfillment of our

duty to mankind, and our duty to Africa and the region.

Finally, Your Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and

Gentlemen I am obliged to thank our International

Cooperating Partners who partner with us in fulfilling our

duty to natural resources and mankind. These benevolent

partners include the World Bank, the Germany

Government, the Royal Norwegian Government, Peace

Parks Foundation and others for their generous and

unwavering support for the establishment, management

and development of the MALAWI-ZAMBIA TFCA.

Together, let us protect our natural ecosystems because it is

the protection of our own existence. For Zambia and

Malawi, we have done the right thing because we have

every reason to protect what is common between us. After

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all, when you protect your neighbour, you are only

protecting yourself.

Long live Malawi and Zambia!

I thank you for your attention, and God Bless Malawi and

Zambia.