Expressing the sense of Congress relating to efforts of the Peace Parks Foundation in the Republic of South Africa to facilitate the establishment and development of transfrontier conservation efforts in southern Africa.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to bring to the House floor House Concurrent Resolution 80, which encourages support for the Peace Parks Foundation of South Africa in helping to establish and develop transfrontier conservation areas or peace parks in sub-Saharan Africa.

In 2001, I had the opportunity to visit South Africa with the Speaker of the House, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hastert). We saw firsthand the positive achievements of the Peace Parks Foundation, a nonprofit organization headed by conservationist Dr. Anton Rupert.

In general terms, peace parks are very large, ecologically significant natural areas that straddle the borders of two or more countries and that are attractive to visitors.

Peace parks allow wildlife to follow natural migration patterns and help conserve the magnificent native flora and fauna of the region. Very importantly, peace parks help support sustainable local economic development and regional peace and stability. Boy, are those worthy objectives. These are some of the issues President Bush discussed just last week when he visited South Africa and Botswana and several other African nations.

Africa's competitive advantage in the international tourism industry lies in its unique and diverse ecosystems that include everything from deserts to rain forests. A recent study estimated that, with adequate infrastructure, the various transfrontier conservation areas could support about 8 million visits by tourists per year. Tourism is a wonderful job creator. Leaders of southern African governments have recognized this and have shown committed enthusiasm for the peace parks. They know peace parks can help alleviate poverty by creating business opportunities for communities and jobs paid for by tourism dollars. I applaud their foresight in recognizing this path to sustainable economic development.

Economic realities and the consequences of war and political instability have helped erode conservation efforts in Africa. The incredible variety of Africa's wildlife and natural habitats should be protected and conserved for future generations. The Foundation's contributions to biodiversity conservation is significant because the space it seeks to protect covers large areas; and, in Africa, everything seems to be large.

Since December, 2001, 22 transfrontier conservation areas have been identified by the Foundation and now enjoy the support of governments in the region. This unusual, but successful, approach deserves our encouragement and support.

The process by which peace parks are created requires extensive consultations between interested parties, including governments, local communities, private landowners, and civil society. In addition, since peace parks straddle borders, their creation also requires cooperation between nations. Thus, the creation of peace parks contributes to the peace and stability for which the people of Africa yearn.

I am pleased to be able to say that in September 2003 Botswana and South Africa will sign an agreement establishing a new peace park. African leaders such as the revered former President Dr. Nelson Mandela and the leaders of Southern African Development Community countries, strongly support the Peace Parks Foundation. Dr. Mandela himself has said of peace parks, ``I know of no biological movement, no philosophy or no idealogy which does not agree with the peace parks concept as we see it going into fruition today. It is a concept that can be embraced by all. In a world beset by conflict and division,'' Dr. Mandela goes on to say, ``peace is one of the cornerstones of the future. Peace parks are building blocks in this process, not only in our region, but potentially the entire world.''

Dr. Mandela was so right.

I thank those Members who joined me in introducing this resolution, and I ask the support of all Members in adopting this resolution to honor the important achievements of the Peace Parks Foundation in helping the people of sub-Saharan Africa find peace and stability and economic benefit through their preservation of some of the world's most rare and beautiful wildlife and natural places.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 80) expressing the sense of Congress relating to efforts of the Peace Parks Foundation in the Republic of South Africa to facilitate the establishment and development of transfrontier conservation efforts in southern Africa.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the concurrent resolution under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

The gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert), with the support of several members of the Subcommittee on Africa, including the vice chairman, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Houghton) and myself, introduced House Concurrent Resolution 80 supporting the efforts of the Peace Parks Foundation in the Republic of South Africa.

The Peace Parks Foundation, a nonprofit organization, helps with the establishment and development of transfrontier conservation areas among two or more of the southern African development community countries. The idea for the Peace Parks Foundation came about when it was realized that ecotourism has benefited South Africa but has not benefited its neighboring countries, including Mozambique.

The purpose of the Peace Parks Foundation is to better allow wildlife to move freely across national borders, which wildlife is wont to do, which will promote biodiversity, economic development, and peaceful cooperation between all countries involved. By giving local populations an economic incentive to protect the environment, wildlife poaching and other unsustainable practices should decrease.

The Peace Parks Foundation enjoys the full support of all SADC countries and all of their heads of state and is currently developing 232,000 square miles of conservation area between them. This resolution expresses U.S. support for these efforts and encourages nongovernmental organizations and foundations in the United States to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. BOEHLERT), the prime sponsor of this legislation.

(Mr. BOEHLERT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, earlier this year the Africa subcommittee that I chair held a hearing on the Congo Basin Foreign Partnership, and this is an innovative international approach to the conservation of forests and wildlife in Central Africa.

This plan was first unveiled by our Secretary of State Powell last fall, and the initiative is designed to combat illegal logging through better forest management and local economic empowerment. Of course, these forests play a critical role in sustaining the environment. They absorb carbon dioxide, they cleanse the water, they hold the soil. Their plants and animals are invaluable for so many reasons, including their genetic and biochemical information, which could spark advances in medical, agricultural, and industrial technology.

Ten years ago, those forests in Africa were virtually untouched. Today, logging operations are shrinking these forests. One estimate has logging taking out Congo basin forest area at a rate of twice the size of Rhode Island each and every year. If current deforestation and wildlife depletion rates are not reversed world wide, the world will pay an incalculable environmental and social price and incalculable cultural price as well. This is the beginning of real commitment to conservation in Africa. That is what we are seeing with the Peace Parks Foundation, which deserves our support and deserves our encouragement. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 80.

Mr. Speaker, House Con. Res. 80 calls on the U.S. to support the Peace Parks Foundation of Southern Africa. The Peace Parks will support the establishment of a transfrontier conservation area involving several countries in southern Africa to boost tourism and to help alleviate poverty. The effort by the Southern African Development Community, SADC, will allow the free movement of humans and animals across international borders. It represents a major advance in conservation efforts worldwide.

The Peace Parks will not only contribute to conservation but also to economic development, job creation, and peace and understanding between the countries involved. This is a big step forward.

Animals have no borders. They move throughout. However, borders that have been written by countries sort of presented a problem, and for the countries in the SADC region to come together to say that you can cross our borders, for the people to be able to cross the borders so that the animals could be protected is very important.

As a matter of fact, a tragedy has happened recently in Kenya because of the lack of rain in the game parks right outside Nairobi. There are tremendous numbers of game there, including lions and tigers. But the Masai people have cattle, a tremendous amount of cattle. Cattle is a way to express wealth. During the past 4 or 5 months, because of the drought, the wildlife has moved outside of the park grounds seeking water. As the wildlife, the zebras and other animals go out, the lions must follow them, and they have gotten near Nairobi. There have been killings of Masai cattle. Unfortunately, the Masai people have said that they need to have some protection and, actually, during the past month or so, have killed 10 lions in the area around Nairobi. They are saying we should be compensated for the last of our cattle.

So there is a very important aspect to wildlife, and I hope that the new government of Kenya will be able to have some program to compensate for the tremendous loss to the Masai people.

But this is an example where countries are coming together, creating jobs, and living with the wildlife can serve as an economic engine.

So I urge my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 80.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, let me commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert) for his wonderful resolution and those who support it.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.