Technical assistance to support the start-up of the activities of the Support Programme for the concerted management of Protected Areas and Fragile Ecosystems in Chad (APEF programme)

The overall objective of the programme was to promote the sustainable and concerted conservation of Chad's wildlife, biodiversity and heritage sites for the benefit of the population. The specific objective was to promote the concerted management of protected areas and fragile ecosystems in Chad. The three expected results were: Result 1 - Governance, sustainable financing and institutional strengthening: the capacities of biodiversity, protected areas and heritage conservation institutions are strengthened. Support to the development and/or revision of the legal and regulatory framework, tools for the implementation of viable and accountable financing mechanisms for the conservation of protected areas and fragile ecosystems. Strengthening the performance of existing national institutional arrangements (central and deconcentrated levels) for conservation, monitoring and anti-poaching (AML). Support to governance, budgeting, dialogue and intersectoral coordination for a better integration of conservation in national development policies, under the impetus of national coordination and technical assistance. Result 2 - Zakouma Large Functional Ecosystem: a conservation model for the Zakouma Large Functional Ecosystem is developed and implemented in a concerted manner. Sustainable strengthening of conservation in the Zakouma National Park (ZNP) and adjacent conservation areas. The technical assistance supports a concerted management model at the scale of the large functional ecosystem of Zakouma, through the continuation of the delegated management, via a private-public partnership (PPP), currently with African Parks Networks (APN), of the ZNP and the rehabilitation of the Siniaka Minia Faunal Reserve (SMFR). A statutory and legal clarification of the protected areas of this large complex (in particular the RFSM and the Barh Salamat Wildlife Reserve, RFBS) is necessary as well as a reinforcement of the management and sustainable financing methods. Support for territorial development and community management and development of natural resources and habitats on the periphery of protected areas to contribute to the development of the integrated and concerted model of the large functional ecosystem of Zakouma. Result 3 - Sahelo-Saharan heritage: the protection, concerted management and enhancement of fragile ecosystems and heritage sites for the benefit of local communities in the Sahelo-Saharan and Saharan zones are ensured in a sustainable manner.