The focus of German-Tanzanian development cooperation is on the UNESCO world heritage sites in Tanzania: the Serengeti National Park, the Nyerere National Park – which includes the Selous Game Reserve – and the Mahale and Katavi national parks in western Tanzania.
The aim is to improve the management of the protected areas and the living conditions of the local population. To that end, Germany is investing in social infrastructure like schools and health care facilities, and in rural roads and job creation. Improved wildlife management is intended to help avoid conflicts between people and wild animals, thus increasing the local population’s acceptance of protected areas. At the same time, Germany is giving the Tanzanian authorities assistance with regard to various aspects of managing protected areas, for example carrying out air patrols, and is supporting investments in radio communications systems and accommodation for park rangers.
To protect the Serengeti, Germany is supporting Tanzanian efforts to develop a bypass road to the south of the protected area. For this the BMZ is financing a feasibility study.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused a dramatic drop in tourism revenue in the protected areas. In order to mitigate the impacts of the crisis, in 2020 and in 2021, Germany made commitments to its partner country of 35 million euros altogether for Emergency and Recovery Support for Biodiversity in Tanzania.
This funding is to be used to maintain the most important protective measures during the crisis, so as to avoid a massive increase in poaching and overuse. The measures include, in particular, equipping rangers, supporting communities on the edges of the protected areas and eco-system monitoring. In addition to that, efforts are to be made to reinvigorate sustainable tourism in the Serengeti.