From: "Goergen, Joseph" <jgoergen@safariclub.org>
To: A Alvarez <aeric_alvarez@fws.gov>, "Cogliano, Mary" <mary_cogliano@fws.gov>, "Butzler, Julia" <julia_butzler@fws.gov>, "Gnam, Rosemarie" <Rosemarie_Gnam@fws.gov>, "Babij, Eleanora" <eleanora_babij@fws.gov>
Cc: "Hebert, Samantha" <samantha_hebert@ios.doi.gov>, Leila Getto <leila_getto@ios.doi.gov>, Skyler Zunk <skyler_zunk@ios.doi.gov>, "SIO, Scheduling" <scheduling_sio@ios.doi.gov>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] OFFICIAL INVITATION: 17th African Wildlife Consultative Forum 11-15 November 2019 Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Date: Thu, 05 Sep 2019 13:29:47 +0000
Importance: Normal
Attachments: DB_Event_Information_Request_Form_AWCF.pdf; AWCF_Invitation_Letter_United_States.pdf; AWCF_Call_for_Country_Reports_and_Presentations_Final.pdf; AWCF_Travel_Information_Final.pdf
Inline-Images: image001.png
Dear Eric and USFWS team,
I hope you traveled home safely and are recovering well from the CITES CoP. Thank you for introducing me to Rob while in Geneva.
Following receipt of our Save the Date, Safari Club International Foundation (SCIF) and the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) formally invite you to the 17th African Wildlife Consultative Forum (AWCF) from 11-15 November in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Please see the official invitation letter attached.
As I mentioned, we want to submit the attached scheduling request to the Secretary and his list of surrogates. We are hoping that His Excellency President Mnangagwa will open the ceremony, if not Minister Mupfumira. Several other Ministers may even attend the opening day and we will have Permanent Secretaries or Director Generals present from most of the southern and eastern African countries.
The attendance response at the CoP was overwhelmingly positive. AWCF will be an important follow up to discussions had there on future CITES strategy and the engagement of rural communities. I recall last year that the USFWS' presentation on the status of permitting for various African species was extremely valuable to AWCF attendees.
To support the development of this year's agenda, SCIF is sharing a call for select country reports and presentations. Please submit your ideas with speaker nominations. We are also including a new travel information document to assist your planning needs. Please see the attached materials for more information. We will again be using a WhatsApp group for important announcements, on-site coordination and general information sharing. If you would like to join, please message me at +1(202)-774-0440.
Along with this invitation, each attendee is required to register. Please visit AWCFinfo.org and follow the instructions. The deadline for registration is October 11th. Please also include your flight itineraries by October 25th so we can get an accurate attendance number for hotel accommodations and airport shuttles. Note while
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making travel arrangements that the PHASA AGM is directly before and AWCF is immediately followed by the Africa Protected Area Congress. I hope that the CITES CoP18's rescheduling in late August will not impact your travel plans to AWCF.
SCIF, along with your African government peers, really appreciate the US' participation as it adds so much value to AWCF. I know that you are already planning to combine the trip with a field visit to South Africa, but please let me know if you are also available to spend some time in Zimbabwe before the forum begins. ZimParks would like to separately invite the US on a pre-conference tour to see the status of conservation across various land use types.
A draft agenda and cultural program will be shared soon. Please reach out to me with any questions. I am looking forward to a productive week engaging in the future of sustainable use, communities and wildlife conservation in Africa.
Sincerely, Joe
Joseph Goergen Conservation Manager Safari Club International Foundation 501 2nd St. NE Washington, DC 20002 Office: (202) 609-8171 Cell: (202) 774-0440 jgoergen@safariclub.org
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5 September 2019
Hon. David Bernhardt Secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior
Invitation to the 17th African Wildlife Consultative Forum The Kingdom Hotel - Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe 11-15 November 2019
The Republic of Zimbabwe's Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, the National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and Safari Club International Foundation (SCIF) are pleased to extend this official invitation to the 17th African Wildlife Consultative Forum (AWCF) being held at The Kingdom Hotel in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe from 11-15 November 2019.
AWCF is a unique meeting that brings together senior government delegates at the Director General level, or other appropriate agency staff, to collaboratively discuss continent-wide sustainable use wildlife issues across Africa. Regular participants also include leadership from Professional Hunting Associations, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, European Commission, CITES Secretariat, IUCN specialists, other NGOs, international policy experts and wildlife biologists.
Please use this letter for requesting travel approval. A draft agenda will be available in due time. AWCF focuses on priority issues for the sustainable use community, international policy, community-based conservation, predator research and megafauna management. This year's agenda is likely to include sessions on transfrontier area cooperation and follow up from the CITES CoP18.
SCIF is able to sponsor on-site accommodation including airport transfer, hotel room, meals and conference expenses for two government delegates and one professional hunter, while attendees are requested to make their own travel arrangements to and from Victoria Falls. Attendees representing other stakeholder groups are requested to reimburse SCIF for the accommodation costs. More details will be shared in a travel logistics document. With this notification, we also request contact information for the list of attendees that will represent your country, association or organization.
Note, AWCF now uses an online registration system. Please go to www.AWCFinfo.org to register by October 11th and contact Mr. Joseph Goergen, SCIF's Conservation Manager at jgoergen@safariclub.org or (202)-774-0440 on WhatsApp, if you have any questions.
Respectfully,
Mr. Fulton Mangwanya, Director General Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority
Mr. Warren Sackman III, President Safari Club International Foundation
Safari Club International Foundation - Washington, DC Office 501 2nd Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002 Phone 202 543 8733 www.safariclubfoundation.org
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CC: Rob Wallace Aurelia Skipwith Margaret Everson Eric Alvarez Mary Cogliano Julia Butzler Rosemarie Gnam Eleanora Babij
Safari Club International Foundation - Washington, DC Office 501 2nd Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002 Phone 202 543 8733 www.safariclubfoundation.org
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17th African Wildlife Consultative Forum The Kingdom Hotel - Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
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CALL FOR COUNTRY REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS
AWCF Structure
AWCF has traditionally allowed for general country reports and presentations on various topics. However, to increase the impact of each session and allow for important discussion time with limited agenda space, SCIF is moving to a call for select country reports and presentations. All effort will be made to accommodate special requests, but the most relevant presentations will be given priority.
Agenda Session Themes
Transfrontier Conservation Areas Kavango-Zambezi TFCA specific cooperation, elephant management plan Botswana wildlife reform, community voices International policy, CITES issues, CoP18 follow up Hunting concession abandonment, trends and solutions Rebranding the hunting industry, hunting organization roundtable Leopard conservation, research and management
Countries and organizations can also submit presentations on other continent-wide sustainable use wildlife conservation issues, important updates or other local topics.
How to Submit
Please submit a title and brief abstract to Mr. Joseph Goergen, SCIF's Conservation Manager, at jgoergen@safariclub.org. Final presentations can be sent leading up to the conference. Presentations should be no longer than 10-15 minutes or 20-30 minutes for a highlighted keynote. Attendees are welcome to nominate speakers and moderators for the various themed sessions.
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TRAVEL INFORMATION
Victoria Falls Airport
This year's AWCF will be held in Zimbabwe's iconic tourism destination, Victoria Falls. The nearest airport is Victoria Falls Airport (VFA), just 21 kilometers and a 20-minute drive from town. Shuttles from the airport to the hotel will be arranged. Please send your flight itinerary to SCIF to ensure your pickup and drop off. If you are unable to make the transportation provided, taxis are available for hire for approximately $35. Flying into Livingstone is another option, but not recommended as shuttles are more expensive and transportation may require up to three taxis to cross the border and go through customs.
The Kingdom Hotel
Our venue will be The Kingdom Hotel, walking distance from the famous Victoria Falls. There is no need to book individual room. SCIF has a room block at a group rate. Please let us know how many nights you plan to stay and if you have any special accommodation needs beyond a standard room. You can visit the hotel website for more information on the facilities: The Kingdom Hotel at Victoria Falls.
WALKING DISTANCE TO THE VICTORIA FALLS
.., 34 nun
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17th African Wildlife Consultative Forum The Kingdom Hotel - Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
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TRAVEL INFORMATION
Registration
All attendees are required to register at AWCFinfo.org. You will be prompted to login or create a new account. If creating a new account, you must first be approved by SCIF to continue the process. Attendees who registered last year can login using the same credentials. Click the "forgot password" to reset if necessary. Please fill out your personal information including title, affiliation, contact information, number of hotel nights and flight itineraries. This website also hosts the forum's agenda and other materials along with past AWCF presentations.
SCIF's policy is to sponsor two government delegates from every country and one representative from each professional hunting association. If you have additional attendees, please contact SCIF directly to work out the details. This sponsorship includes airport transfer, hotel room, meals and conference expenses, while attendees are requested to make their own travel arrangements to and from Victoria Falls. Attendees are recommended to arrive on Sunday night and depart Friday. An optional field trip will be organized after the agenda during the day on Friday for those who are available to join.
Other stakeholders or NGOs are requested to reimburse SCIF for accommodation via the payment instructions on the registration website. The full package for 5 hotel nights and conference days is $1,350 or $275 per day.
Other Travel Information
Attendees are responsible for their own entry into Zimbabwe, including VISAs and up to date vaccinations. VISAs can be obtained on entry and proof of yellow fever immunization is required if entering from an at-risk country. Please check with your local authorities for any other health or security information. The conference will only be available in English. If translation services are required, please contact SCIF. Conference attire is business casual with a formal opening ceremony. US dollars are preferred, the time zone is GMT +2 and electricity uses type D and G.
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TRAVEL INFORMATION
Contact Information
Joseph Goergen, SCIF Conservation Manager +1(202)-744-0440, jgoergen@safariclub.org.
The AWCF - Zimbabwe 2019 WhatsApp Discussion Board will be used for important announcements, on-site coordination and general sharing of relevant information. Please message Mr. Goergen to be added to the group.
The Kingdom Hotel 1 Mallet Drive, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe +263 (0) 13 44275/9, hotels@legacyhotels.com
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