How does the NaturAfrica regional programme work?
NaturAfrica is a continental initiative of the European Union designed to support biodiversity conservation, governance and the development of a green economy in sub-Saharan Africa. It funds projects in mixed landscapes of protected areas such as national parks, community forests, wildlife reserves and forest reserves, and the settlements, peripheral zones and ecological corridors in the vicinity. The landscapes were identified for EU support based on their importance for biodiversity conservation and human development, among other criteria.
In West Africa, the regional programme supports projects in transboundary zones (straddling national borders). It is managed under a financing agreement between the European Union and the West Africa Economic and Monetary Union, which represents the Economic Community of West African States on matters related to biodiversity and protected area management.
Each landscape project is governed by a single contract between a European Union Delegation and a designated operator. The operator, in most cases an organisation with a history of conservation work in the landscape in question, implements the 3-4 year contract, disbursing funds through activities organised with and by national and local partners, such as government bodies (e.g. national parks agencies), civil society (non-governmental organisations), private sector (e.g. farmers, tourism operators) and local communities (e.g. village committees).