On 17 August 2001 the South Africa's Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Valli Moosa, and his Namibian counterpart, Minister of Environment and Tourism Philemon Malima, signed a memorandum of understanding that paves the way for the establishment of a transfrontier conservation park (TFCP) in the Ai-Ais-Richtersveld area.

The sub-theme of transfrontier conservation areas seeks to build on emerging initiatives that seek partnerships across countries in southern Africa and Africa to boost conservation and tourism, and thereby create jobs. It follows hot on the heels of the adoption of the Africa Initiative. The latter recognises that a healthy and productive environment is a prerequisite for the African Initiative, and that a range of issues must be addressed to nurture this vast and complex environmental base. Also highlighted is that a systematic combination of initiatives is necessary in order to develop a coherent environmental programme.