Partners

  • Malawi Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW)
    The relationship with Malawi’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) is the longest-running partnership for African Parks, dating back to the agreement for the Majete Wildlife Reserve in 2003. The DNPW is the government agency responsible for the management and conservation of wildlife resources and the administration of the Wildlife Policy and National Parks and Wildlife Act. In 2015, African Parks signed an agreement with the Malawi Government, through the DNPW, to manage Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve and Liwonde National Park. In 2018, Liwonde National Park was extended to include Mangochi Forest Reserve. Here African Parks has also partnered with the Department of Forestry, the government agency responsible for planning and providing technical extension and guidance, as well as facilitating forestry development on customary land and forest reserves. The Malawi Public-Private Partnership Commission (PPPC) facilitated the signing of these agreements. Mr Brighton Kumchedwa is the current Director of the DNPW.
  • The U.S. Forest Service (USFS)
    Through their International Program, the U.S. Forest Service brings technical expertise in natural resource management in international development contexts and financial support to partners in the shared interest in stewardship of the land and the opportunities it brings for local communities. They work in over 90 countries and have been working with African Parks in Nkhotakota.
  • The Wyss Foundation
    The Wyss Foundation is a private charitable organisation dedicated to supporting innovative, lasting solutions that improve lives, empower communities and strengthen connections to the land. The Foundation’s relationship with African Parks began in 2015 with a grant to support the restoration of Akagera National Park, followed by a significant investment in Malawi’s Liwonde National Park and Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve. In 2017, the Foundation made a groundbreaking commitment of US$65m to provide ongoing support for Akagera and the Malawi parks, along with startup funding for five new parks. This enabled the addition of Pendjari and W in Benin, Bazaruto Archipelago National Park in Mozambique, Iona National Park in Angola and Matusadona National Park in Zimbabwe. In 2021, the Foundation furthered its support of African Parks with another extraordinary commitment of US$108 million, which will provide for the continued support of current Wyss-funded parks, as well as startup funding for another five new parks. Two new parks in our portfolio – Kafue National Park in Zambia and Badingilo National Park in South Sudan – are benefitting from the Wyss Foundation’s latest commitment.
  • WWF
    World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has been supporting African Parks since 2007, with the goal of promoting the African Parks management model across Africa. WWF Zambia contributes to core operating costs and conservation projects at Liuwa Plain National Park and Bangweulu Wetlands. WWF the Netherlands provides support to the Zambian parks and Odzala-Kokoua National Park. WWF Belgium became a strategic funding partner in 2017 supporting the Malawi parks and Liuwa Plain.
  • People’s Postcode Lottery
    The Lottery manages lotteries on behalf of 20 postcode trusts. A minimum of 33% from each ticket goes directly to charities and good causes across Britain and internationally. Since 2015, African Parks has received more than £8.2m awarded by Postcode Planet Trust, thanks to funds raised by players of the Lottery. In 2022, we were awarded £1.5m through the Postcode Planet Trust, which was used to support the three Malawi parks and Garamba National Park in the DRC.
  • The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
    The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) leads the UK’s work to end extreme poverty, deliver global goals for sustainable development (SDGs) and tackle a wide range of global challenges. In Malawi, £1 million in UK Aid from the British people is helping build resilience and adaptation to climate change among the communities living around the protected areas under our management. They are supporting education, developing alternative livelihoods, building local leadership capacity, raising awareness on the importance of the environment and conservation, and showcasing how protected areas mutually benefit nature and people.
  • The U.S. Department of State
    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.