17 



In addition, we need to foster NGO's. There are many NGO's in 

 Latin America, quite a few developing in Asia, yet Africa stands 

 out prominently as having few nongovernmental environmental or- 

 ganizations. So, we need to encourage their establishment. 



As a general point, we also need to look at sustainable systems. 

 Not just biological and socioeconomic, but also sustainable financial 

 mechanisms for long-term conservation effort. This means dealing 

 with small, low-scale recoverable costs or external contributory 

 mechanisms, trust funds, endowments. 



Finally, several points more specifically on what could be done by 

 us angcies. One, you want lower administrative costs — to decrease 

 the cost yet maintain programs overseas. I do think you can do it 

 by partnering with PVO's who have long experience in the field. 

 There are a nandful who have been present on a long-term basis 

 with strong expertise. If this is to follow, there should be subse- 

 quent meetings to discuss mechanisms for collaboration. We have 

 been developing a possible model for collaborative implementation 

 particular interest, but need to work out the "wrinkles" in our sys- 

 tem. 



Two, I would suggest you not farm out overseas project designs 

 or work to technical experts who do not know Africa. In other 

 words, do not just shift the burden of some of this responsibility to 

 other U.S. technical agencies that specialize in U.S. matters. Make 

 sure that those people have experience in Africa. 



Three, there needs to be a longer-term commitment for projects 

 and programs. We cannot have funding faucets turned on and off. 

 We need more like 8 to 15-year commitments, rather than 3 to 5 

 years as currently exists in these programs. And we need to try to 

 avoid the political vicissitudes that are present and real in Africa. 



Four, when that funding faucet is on, do not turn it on full blast. 

 You will drown the institutions and the systems. Smaller amounts 

 of money over a longer term will be far more useful. Five, we need 

 help in networking and sharing our lessons in Africa, especially 

 among African nations. Six, we need more regional programs to 

 allow for this networking, as well as cross-boundary planning and 

 action. Seven, like I saia, we desperately need training on all lev- 

 els. Eight, please fund conservation, resource use mosaics; do not 

 stick with one piece of the puzzle. You will not do biological con- 

 servation without protecting; you will not do development without 

 sound resource management. 



And finally, if you really want a chance for biological conserva- 

 tion to work, you have to concentrate as well on problems at the 

 macroeconomic and macrosocial scale, and deal with those other 

 pillars that have been mentioned in AID discussions having to do 

 with democratization, population issues and economic development. 

 Thank you. 



[The prepared statement of Ms. Vedder appears in the appendix. 1 



Mr. Gejdenson. Thank you. Do the people from the administra- 

 tion, as a general rule, reach out to you to have meetings with folks 

 at AID, and the State Department? 



Ms. McMeekin. I expect we all three have the same answer, Mr. 

 Chairman. It is considerably better than it was 5 or 6 years ago. 

 We still, all of us, have a long way to go on that. There are too 

 many times when an environmental issue is seen as something iso- 



