ZIMPARKS Director Scientific Services, Professor Never Muboko
BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA
The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) has called for greater efforts to harness Africa’s World Heritage Sites as drivers of entrepreneurship, sustainable tourism and community development.
Speaking during the inaugural Capacity-Building Workshop and Field Project on Entrepreneurship around World Heritage in Africa in Victoria Falls, ZimParks Director Scientific Services, Professor Never Muboko, who was standing in for the Director General said heritage conservation should go hand in hand with creating economic opportunities for communities living around protected sites.
The workshop is being held at the Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls World Heritage Site and builds on the Mosi-oa-Tunya Declaration on World Heritage and Sustainable Development in Africa adopted in April 2025.
“It reflects our shared commitment to safeguarding heritage while unlocking its potential as a driver of socio-economic development.
“For Zimbabwe, this is not only about conservation, but also about empowering communities, fostering entrepreneurship, and ensuring that heritage contributes meaningfully to Vision 2030 and the aspirations of our people,” said Prof Muboko.
He further revealed that the initiative aligns with Zimbabwe’s national development agenda, which seeks to ensure that no place and no one is left behind as the country works towards attaining upper middle-income status by 2030.
some of the participants
It was further noted that the workshop reinforces key continental and international frameworks, including the 2015 Policy Document on integrating sustainable development into the implementation of the World Heritage Convention, the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the 2016 Ngorongoro Declaration, which recognises African World Heritage as a driver of sustainable development.
Prof Muboko expressed appreciation to the African World Heritage Fund and the Zambezi River Authority for supporting the programme, while also acknowledging the collaboration of UNESCO, Zambia and national commissions involved in organising the event.
It was added that the workshop will expose participants to technical sessions, field visits and practical project development aimed at strengthening heritage-based entrepreneurship, community enterprises and sustainable tourism initiatives across Africa.
“We believe this workshop will leave a lasting legacy: equipping entrepreneurs with practical skills, fostering partnerships between public and private actors, and reinforcing the role of World Heritage Sites as engines of inclusive growth.”
He also affirmed ZimParks’ commitment to protecting the Outstanding Universal Values of the Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls World Heritage Site while ensuring that surrounding communities benefit from its conservation.
The purpose of the workshop is to strengthen the capacity of local communities, stakeholders, and heritage practitioners to design, develop, and implement sustainable heritage-based enterprises that improve livelihoods while safeguarding the Outstanding Universal Value of the Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls World Heritage Site.
And its (workshop) success will be measured by its ability to translate World Heritage values into practical, responsible, and locally beneficial enterprise opportunities.
