Chad’s government has abruptly severed ties with African Parks, the prominent wildlife conservation group associated with Prince Harry, citing a “recurring indelicate and disrespectful attitude toward the government” and a failure to curb poaching and invest adequately in the country’s reserves. The decision, delivered by Environment Minister Hassan Bakhit Djamous in an official letter on October 6, 2025, ends a partnership that spanned 15 years and has sent ripples through the international conservation community.
African Parks, founded in 2000, has long been regarded as a forceful, hands-on operator in the world of wildlife preservation. The group is known for assuming day-to-day management of protected areas across Africa, often in countries grappling with poverty, corruption, and conflict. In Chad, African Parks was entrusted with overseeing the Ennedi Natural and Cultural Reserve and the Greater Zakouma Ecosystem, which comprises Zakouma and Siniaka-Minia national parks. The charity’s involvement was especially notable for its role in anti-poaching efforts and in restoring elephant populations—an emblematic cause in the battle against wildlife crime.
Yet, according to Minister Djamous, the organization’s approach left much to be desired. In a statement reported by the Associated Press, Djamous accused African Parks of “a recurring indelicate and disrespectful attitude toward the government.” He further noted that there had been a resurgence in poaching and a lack of investment at the reserves managed by the group. The minister’s words were echoed across multiple outlets, including Sky News and The Times, which highlighted Chad’s disappointment with the charity’s recent performance.
The move brings to a close a 15-year collaboration between Chad’s government and African Parks, a partnership that had once been hailed as a model for public-private cooperation in conservation. During their tenure, African Parks reported a significant increase in the elephant population at Zakouma National Park—from 450 in 2010, when it assumed management, to over 550 by 2019. The charity has consistently emphasized its mission to make every park it manages “ecologically, socially and financially sustainable for the long term,” managing more than 20 million hectares across 12 countries.
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has been a central figure in African Parks’ leadership. He served as president from 2017 to 2023 before joining its board, and his association with the charity has drawn international attention to its work. However, the loss of Chad’s mandate marks a fresh setback for the prince, who earlier this year also stepped down from Sentebale, a charity he co-founded to support children orphaned by AIDS in Botswana and Lesotho. That resignation followed a highly publicized boardroom dispute and a damning report from the Charity Commission, which accused him of allowing a bullying row to damage Sentebale’s reputation. Harry has since pledged to find new ways to support the children of Lesotho and Botswana, according to a spokesperson cited by The Sun.
In the wake of Chad’s announcement, African Parks issued a statement expressing its desire to resolve the dispute. “We have begun talks with the ministry to understand the government’s position and explore the best way forward to support the continued protection of these landscapes that are critical to conservation,” the charity said, as reported by Sky News and The Times. The group’s leadership emphasized that they were “in talks to better understand the government’s position” and remained committed to conservation in Chad and beyond.
The rupture comes at a time when African Parks is facing scrutiny over its operations elsewhere on the continent. Earlier in 2025, the organization acknowledged that guards at one of its national parks in the Republic of Congo committed human rights abuses against Indigenous peoples who had been displaced when the park was constructed. This admission followed an independent investigation into allegations that guards managed and paid by African Parks had beaten, raped, and tortured local people in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park. The charity’s statement on the matter marked a rare moment of public contrition for an organization that has built its reputation on tough, results-driven management.
Chad’s decision to withdraw African Parks’ mandates is seen as a significant blow, not only to the charity but to broader conservation efforts in the region. Many African nations struggle to protect their wildlife due to limited resources and ongoing security challenges. Partnerships with international organizations like African Parks are often viewed as essential for safeguarding biodiversity and combating poaching, which remains a persistent threat across the continent.
Supporters of African Parks have pointed to the group’s track record in reversing declines in wildlife populations and introducing more rigorous management standards. The reported increase in Zakouma’s elephant population is often cited as a testament to the charity’s effectiveness. Yet, critics argue that such gains can be fragile, especially if local communities and governments feel sidelined or disrespected. The accusations of a “disrespectful attitude” from Chad’s environment minister suggest that the relationship may have soured over issues of sovereignty, transparency, or cultural sensitivity—an all-too-common challenge in international conservation work.
For Prince Harry, the fallout in Chad adds to a year marked by turbulence in his charitable endeavors. After leaving Sentebale, he has remained active with other organizations, including the Invictus Games Foundation and the UK charity WellChild. He has also continued his late mother Princess Diana’s legacy by working with the Halo Trust, an organization dedicated to landmine clearance in Africa. In 2019, Harry became Halo’s patron, with the government of Angola pledging £46 million to create wildlife corridors through minefields and a target of removing all landmines by 2025.
As for African Parks, the group insists it remains committed to its conservation mission. Its model—taking on direct management of wildlife areas and seeking to make them sustainable—has attracted both praise and controversy. The loss of Chad’s mandate is a reminder that even the most experienced and well-intentioned organizations must navigate complex political and cultural landscapes, where respect and partnership are as vital as technical expertise.
Whether African Parks can repair its relationship with Chad or find new avenues for collaboration remains to be seen. For now, the future of the Ennedi and Zakouma reserves is uncertain, as is the broader trajectory of conservation in a region where the stakes—both for wildlife and for people—could hardly be higher.