Chad has ended its partnership with African Parks (APN), a conservation charity on whose board Britain’s Prince Harry serves, citing failures in wildlife protection and infrastructure investment.
Prince Harry joined the APN governing board in 2023 after seven years of involvement. The charity manages protected areas across Africa, aiming to preserve natural habitats and endangered species. However, Chad’s government accused APN of failing to deliver on key commitments.
Hassan Bakhit Djamous, Chad’s environment minister, explained that the decision was driven by “the resurgence of poaching and the severe lack of investment,” including weak infrastructure and inadequate anti-poaching measures. He added that APN repeatedly failed to respect contractual agreements and showed “recurring irreverence” toward the government.
In response, African Parks confirmed that Chad had terminated its two management mandates in the country. The organization stated: “African Parks has initiated discussions with the ministry to understand the government’s position and to explore the best possible way forward in support of the continued protection of these critical conservation landscapes.”
This marks the second high-profile controversy involving a charity linked to Prince Harry this year. Earlier, he stepped down from Sentebale, a charity he co-founded to support children affected by HIV and AIDS in Lesotho and Botswana. His departure followed public allegations from the charity’s chair, Sophie Chandauka, accusing Harry and trustees of bullying, misogyny, and racism. However, Britain’s charity regulator later found no evidence of bullying.
Prince Harry, who lives in California with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children, formally stepped back from royal duties in 2020. Despite leaving the royal family, he has continued to champion humanitarian and conservation causes globally.
The Chad development raises questions about the effectiveness and oversight of international conservation projects and highlights the challenges charities face when working in politically and environmentally complex regions. African Parks’ next steps will likely focus on restoring trust and reinforcing its wildlife protection initiatives in Chad.