Luanda — Angola's Prime Minister, António Paulo Kassoma, was Friday in Luanda informed on the implementation of Okavango-Zambeze Project focussed on the conservation of fauna and flora in a region that covers Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

The minister of Tourism and Environment of Namibia, Natumbo Nandi Neaitwha, the coordinator of the project met this afternoon the Angolan Premier, following the third ministerial meeting held from Wednesday to Thursday in Cabinda province.

Speaking to press, at the end of the meeting, the minister said that António Paulo Kassoma was happy with the works that have been carried out towards the cross-border project, and assured his support for the effectiveness of the five-nation scheme.

Natumbo Nandi Neaitwha said that the programme needs the total support from the five countries part of the project, all members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), for the reservation of the biodiversity and creation of a big park in the region, which is estimated to have 200,000 lephants.

According to the official, the achievement of the programme, seen as the biggest in the world in terms of game reserve tourism, depends mainly on the removal of landmines in the region, where Angola occupies a higher part of the surface, through Kwando Kubango province.

She affirmed that while the treaty on the project is not signed - the act is expected for next June- the work has been focused on the mobilization of the populations for the preservation of fauna and flora, as well as studies to assess the budget for demining.

One of the goals of the scheme is to turn the region into a tourist potential, allowing the sustainable development of the population who live the areas part of the project, in order to give them jobs and family income to fight hunger and poverty.