Chad has restored its partnership with African Parks, a conservation group associated with Prince Harry, less than two weeks after cutting ties with the organisation.
The Central African nation had ended its agreement with the group on 6 October, accusing it of failing to control poaching in its national parks.
However, in a joint statement released on Friday, Chad’s government and African Parks said they had “initiated, in a spirit of dialogue and cooperation, a series of discussions relating to the delegated management of protected areas.”
African Parks, where Prince Harry serves as a board member and former president, manages about 20 national parks and reserves across 12 African countries.
Under the renewed arrangement, the organisation will resume management of Zakouma National Park and the Ennedi Natural and Cultural Reserve, two key sites it had overseen for 15 years.
The conservation charity said it would continue co-managing and funding both protected areas, while working on future projects until fresh agreements are formalised.
“This milestone comes at the close of a challenging period that required significant dialogue to reach mutual understanding and commitment on the way forward,” African Parks said in its statement.
Peter Fearnhead, CEO of African Parks, welcomed the decision, saying the reinstatement “provides a stable foundation to continue safeguarding some of Chad’s most extraordinary natural and cultural landscapes, together with the communities who depend on them.”
Chad’s environment ministry had earlier accused the group of poor cooperation, arrogance, and neglect in tackling poaching, claiming that insufficient investment by the charity had contributed to the renewed threat.
Established in 2000, African Parks works to protect Africa’s wildlife reserves and promote conservation efforts across the continent and beyond.
Earlier this year, the organisation faced scrutiny after admitting that some employees in a park it managed in the Republic of Congo had abused local residents. It, however, declined to release an independent report into the allegations.
