Tanzania and Germany have been close partners in conservation since the 1950s. Baba wa Taifa, Mwalimu Nyerere, and Prof. Bernhard Grzimek, Former president of the German Frankfurt Zoological Society have nurtured their relationship over the years. Their focus has been on the protection of Serengeti National Park and Selous Game Reserve / Nyerere National Park.
The pressure on ecosystems in Tanzania continues to be high due to the needs of a growing population which means an increase of tourists and transit traffic. The government of Germany has recognised the efforts made by the Tanzanian government to combat poaching and sustain conservation. The German government has decided to commit an additional €8.5m for cooperation with Tanzania National Parks under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism. The funds will be allocated to a programme titled “Traffic management for protected areas through digital solutions.
According to chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of Germany in Dar es Salaam, “Despite massive challenges, Tanzania and its governments have very successfully fulfilled the duty of conserving the Serengeti for future generations, a duty for which the world owes and shows you deep respect. It is a duty Tanzania has not only taken on for its own citizens but for the global community as a whole. UNESCO declared the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation Areas World Heritage Sites for Nature many years ago”.
