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SAFRI Hosts Presentation of ”Peace
Parks” Book
Berlin – At a
ceremony in Berlin today, the Southern Africa Initiative of German Business
(SAFRI) presented a book dedicated to the establishment of transfrontier
conservation areas – so-called ”peace parks” – in the
region. The event was attended by ambassadors from many countries in southern
Africa as well as the Parliamentary State Secretary of the Federal Minister for
Economic Co-operation and Development and G8-Representative of the Federal
Chancellor for the ”New African Initiative,
Dr. Uschi Eid. The Chairman of SAFRI, DaimlerChrysler CEO Jürgen E. Schrempp, presented a copy of the work to the person responsible for initiating the peace parks project, the South African businessman Dr. Anton Rupert. The book itself was written by the historian and journalist Dr. Martin Pabst, whose writings deal predominantly with social themes, particularly in southern Africa. The chief aim of SAFRI is to draw the
attention of German companies to the major business opportunities that exist in
the countries of southern Africa. Tourism, for example, offers enormous growth
potential across many business sectors in the region. Indeed, in a 1997 study
commissioned by SAFRI, the World Travel & Tourism Council forecast that the
tourist industry could generate as many as 1.6 million new jobs for the region
by 2010.
Against this background, SAFRI attaches great
importance to the peace parks project. For a start, it encourages close
cooperation between neighboring countries, which in turn helps promote peace in
the region. As such, SAFRI supports the work of the Peace Parks Foundation, of
which DaimlerChrysler is also a founding member.
In a wholehearted recommendation of the work,
Schrempp writes in the Preface to Grenzüberschreitende Peace Parks im
südlichen Afrika (Transfrontier Peace Parks in Southern Africa):
”The aim of the parks is to promote peace not only among neighboring
peoples but also between nature and the human race. These parks help support
long-term economic development in the region. As an important pillar of the
local tourist industry, they provide an important source of employment as well
helping to preserve the area’s rich plant and animal life.” At the
same time, Schrempp draws the reader’s attention not only to the abundant
tourist attractions in the area but also to the economic opportunities that
these represent. ”Come and sample the amazing variety of this fascinating
continent. I can assure you that you won’t be disappointed. Africa is
worth a visit and much, much more.”
In a dedication to the book, President Joaquim
Chissano of Mozambique, another patron of the peace parks, expresses the hope
that as many Germans as possible will come visit the parks: ”The
conservation projects should also help attract entrepreneurs with the capital
and experience we so desperately need to help develop our
country.”
For Dr. Anton Rupert, President of the Peace
Parks Foundation and the man who established the non-profit organization back in
1997, the crucial aspect of the project is that it manages to combine economic
and ecological concerns: "The creation of transfrontier peace parks will
generate work for millions of people. No other sector creates as many jobs in
Africa as tourism does.” Rupert also points out that the opportunities in
this field are far from being exhausted.
In this respect, Rupert believes that the
peace park project can develop far beyond its present scope. By the time all the
current projects in southern Africa have been completed, a total of 300,000
square kilometers will become natural conservation areas. Rupert’s vision
is that the peace parks idea should be transferred from southern Africa to other
parts of the continent as well as other parts of the world. He cites Nelson
Mandela, former President of South Africa, who recently championed a proposal to
establish a peace park between North and South Korea. Mandela has fully
identified his good name with the aims of the Peace Parks Foundation. As
Honorary President, he is one of the foundation’s advisors and supporters.
Other patrons of the foundation include the
heads of state of Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa and
Swaziland. An affiliated German organization, Peace Parks Deutschland e.V., was
established in 2001. The non-profit organization is funded through
donations.
Internet Site: Additional information and news of DaimlerChrysler is available on the Internet at: www.media.daimlerchrysler.com. You can find special information about the Southern Africa Intiative of German Business at www. safri.de. |