HARARE, June 19 (Xinhua) — Zimbabwe is keen to enhance cooperation with China to boost wildlife conservation and unlock the potential of its wildlife economy, a senior government official has said.
John Paradza, deputy minister of environment, climate and wildlife, said in a recent written interview with Xinhua that Zimbabwe is endowed with rich biodiversity that offers vast opportunities for Zimbabwe-China cooperation.
“We can have more environmentally friendly investors who can partner with us to promote wildlife tourism because China has a big market. We need to continue to revive all sectors of the economy, including investment in the wildlife industry,” he said.
He noted that Zimbabwe faces resource constraints for wildlife conservation, habitat scarcity and fragmentation, and increasing human-wildlife conflict due to growing populations of megaherbivores, among other challenges.
Paradza said wildlife protection is one of the key areas of cooperation between China and Zimbabwe, and China has helped Zimbabwe improve its wildlife protection capacity through assistance with anti-poaching equipment, training, research, and experience sharing.
According to authorities, Zimbabwe is home to an abundance of wildlife, including giraffes, zebras, antelopes, crocodiles, hippopotamuses, and a wide variety of birds. The country also boasts the second-largest elephant population in Africa after Botswana.
