Workshop on the Africa Keystone Protected Area Partnership: Management Models for Conservation Areas in Angola

The Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Angola, in partnership with the Rob Walton Foundation and the ICCF Group, held a workshop on Management Models for Angola’s Conservation Areas under the Africa Keystone Protected Area Partnership on 31 March and 1 April 2026 at the InterContinental Luanda Miramar in Luanda.

The objective of the workshop was to promote technical dialogue aimed at defining the management model and operational plan for Collaborative Management Partnerships (CMPs) in Angola’s conservation areas.

The event was officially opened by the Minister of Environment, Her Excellency Ana Paula Chantre Luna de Carvalho Pereira, who highlighted the workshop as a key milestone in defining sustainable strategies to ensure the preservation of Angola’s natural heritage through a collaborative and inclusive approach.

The workshop was also attended by Ana Paula da Silva do Sacramento Neto, Minister of Social Action, Family and Women’s Promotion (MASFAMU); the Secretary to the President of the Republic for Social and Economic Affairs; the Secretary of State for Culture; the Secretary of State for Telecommunications and Information Technologies, the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Education; and Yuri Santos, Secretary of State from the Ministry of Environment, as well as Miguel Xavier, Director General of the National Institute for Biodiversity and Conservation Areas (INBAC).

Also present were Monique St Jarre, Director, Government and Community Leadership, Rob Walton Foundation, and Susan Lylis, Executive Vice President of the ICCF Group, and representatives from various ministerial departments, provincial governments, international organizations, and development partners.

The primary aim of the workshop was to agree on an actionable plan for implementing the Keystone Partnership in Angola in a way that meets  conservation needs on the ground, strengthens local capacity, and fully respects Angolan sovereignty.

The discussions focused on developing management models and operational plans to permanently safeguard  four Angolan Keystone Protected Areas: Cameia National Park, Luengue-Luiana National Park, Iona National Park, and Luando Strict Nature Reserve. Particular emphasis was placed on partnerships that have enabled the identification of priority conservation areas and the development of management models better suited to Angola’s national context, supported by specialized technical expertise.

H.E. Ana Paula da Silva do Sacramento Neto, Minister of Social Action, Family and Women’s Promotion (left) and H.E. Ana Paula Chantre Luna de Carvalho Pereira, Minister of Environment (right).

The workshop further sought to:

• Clarify the Government of Angola’s vision and priorities for each Keystone landscape;
• Chart a pathway toward the conservation of  the Lisima and Mussuma landscapes;
• Review best practices and examples of collaborative protected area management from across Africa; 
• Align stakeholders on the relevance and applicability of these models to the Angolan context.

Yuri Santos, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Environment, closed the workshop by identifying these next steps:

• Create a working group of key NGO stakeholders to coordinate with INBAC on Keystone implementation and to develop management approaches and partnership models suited to the unique conditions of each Keystone Landscape;
• Develop a set of clear and consistent guidelines on the requirements from CMP partners that the government would like to see, in order to begin partnership discussions and implementation;
• Progress and implement MOUs with CMP partners in each landscape over the next 3-6 months, and build long-term vision for CMP in the next 9 months; 
• Work with RWF and the ICCF Group to conduct exchanges with peer governments across Africa to learn from various models and share knowledge; possible to prioritize within the next few months;
• Engage in exploratory dialogue with partners around sustainable financing mechanisms (e.g., debt-for-nature swaps, Project Finance for Permanence transactions);
• Clarify government intent and process for formal protection status of Lisima Lya Mwono and Mussuma; engage partners to achieve within one year;
• Create a working group of key partners focused on new PA development in Lisima and Mussuma to coordinate with INBAC and work towards timeline plan to formalize and develop long-term approach;
• Work with stakeholders and working group on progressing OECM legislation.