DODOMA: President Samia Suluhu Hassan said Tanzania will continue safeguarding the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, one of Africa’s most renowned wildlife landscapes, while also addressing the interests of communities living in and around the protected zone.
Speaking at State House in Dodoma on Thursday after receiving reports from two presidential commissions on the area, Samia said the site remains a national and global asset that must be preserved for future generations.
The conservation area is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is widely known for its rich biodiversity and tourism value.
“This area must be conserved for the benefit of the country, local communities and the world,” Samia said. “It is home to diverse tourism attractions, wildlife species, plants and birds.”
One commission, led by Court of Appeal judge Gerald Ndika, investigated land disputes in the conservation area. A second commission, chaired by retired permanent secretary Musa Iyombe, reviewed the government’s voluntary relocation programme for residents living within the protected zone.
Samia said the government would address the challenges highlighted in the reports while maintaining conservation efforts in the area.
“We still need Ngorongoro,” she said, adding that authorities would take steps to resolve issues raised by the commissions.
The president also acknowledged difficulties reported in the relocation programme involving residents moving from the conservation area to settlements such as Msomera and Saunyi.
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“We have heard about the challenges that emerged. We made mistakes in some areas and we will correct them,” she said, noting that the programme was launched with the intention of addressing environmental pressures and improving living conditions.
Samia said the issues raised involve policy, legal, social and economic aspects, adding that the government would refine the programme to ensure it benefits both communities and conservation efforts.
She described Ngorongoro as a national treasure and stressed the importance of preserving it.
“Ngorongoro is our diamond and a world heritage site. It is our responsibility to protect it for the future of the nation,” she said.
Samia also noted that the reports pointed to the presence of valuable natural resources in the area, including minerals that are in high demand globally, underlining the need to manage the region carefully.
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority manages the conservation area in northern Tanzania, a globally known ecosystem that includes the vast Ngorongoro Crater and supports diverse wildlife species, including the so-called “Big Five” – lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo and rhinoceros.
The president commended members of the two commissions for their work, saying their findings would help guide government decisions on the future management of the conservation area.