Malawi Gvernment is seeking private-sector investment to upgrade tourism facilities at Kasungu National Park, boost visitor numbers and ensure that surrounding communities benefit from wildlife tourism.
Minister of Industrialisation, Business, Trade and Tourism Simon Itaye said the government will engage investors to improve lodges and other facilities while strengthening destination marketing.
Speaking in Lilongwe on Wednesday after meeting International Fund for Animal Welfare (Ifaw) chief executive officer Azzedine Downes, the minister said government plans to renew its partnership with the organisation for another five years from 2027.
“The government is committed to renewing the existing memorandum of understanding for another five years from 2027,” said Itaye.
The partnership, established in 2017, has supported wildlife protection and infrastructure development at the park, which forms part of the Kasungu-Malawi-Zambia Transfrontier Conservation Area.
Itaye said Ifaw supported the translocation of 263 elephants from Liwonde National Park in Machinga in 2022 to the park, as well as the construction of roads, staff houses and five executive tents.
The park’s elephant population is estimated at 400, pending a study to establish the actual number.
Itaye said the renewed agreement will set clear plans, measurable milestones and monitoring mechanisms to ensure conservation commitments deliver tangible
results.
In his remarks, Downes reaffirmed Ifaw’s commitment to Malawi, saying conservation must protect wildlife while improving the welfare of communities living near protected areas.
He highlighted priorities, including community safety, access to water, climate-smart agriculture and alternative livelihoods.
Downes also outlined Ifaw’s three-pronged approach to tackling poaching: improving ranger welfare and preventive technology, disrupting international wildlife trafficking networks and reducing demand for ivory through public awareness campaigns.
The partnership will also focus on protecting wildlife corridors linking Kasungu National Park to Zambia’s wider Luangwa ecosystem, supporting biodiversity conservation, sustainable tourism, climate resilience and community development in line with Malawi 2063.
