
Afonso Madope, former WCS Mozambique Country Director
On June 19, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in Mozambique held a farewell celebration for Afonso Madope, who retired on April 30. Madope had been serving as the country director for WCS Mozambique for the past four years. Madope was the first Mozambican to take on the national leadership of WCS Mozambique, marking an important step in strengthening African conservation leaders. The event was attended by around 50 people, including colleagues, and conservation partners from civil society, NGOs and the government.
WCS is working closely with government of Mozambique to protect the country’s marine and terrestrial biodiversity. During his tenure, Madope helped to strengthen the management of WCS in the Niassa Special Reserve and across other areas where WCS is implementing activities, assisted the government in implementing national biodiversity strategies and policies, fostered collaboration to advance conservation, and enhanced community collaboration.
Madope has had a distinguished career spanning over 30 years in conservation and has been a central figure in advancing Mozambique’s conservation landscape. Throughout his career that spans over 35 years in conservation, he has demonstrated exemplary commitment to the environmental cause, combined with solid technical and institutional experience. Before joining WCS, he worked for USAID/SPEED+ and the Mozambican government, where he supported legal reforms and actions to combat environmental crimes.
At the celebration, Madope significant impact on biodiversity conservation and strengthening of conservation actions in the country were highlighted. Several participants shared moving testimonies about Madope’s career at the helm of WCS Mozambique.
The Director of ANAC, Pejul Calenga, recalled the years of collaboration with Madope as a challenging and enriching journey:
"They were challenges that made us grow. We shared intense professional moments, we faced difficulties, but we learned a lot from each other."
Emma Stokes, WCS Vice President for Global Conservation, praised Madope for his outstanding contribution and performance, highlighting the progress made under his leadership:
“Madope has played a key role in several strategic programs, most recently, the Miombo Forest Conservation Initiative.”
For his part, Luthando Dziba, WCS Regional Director for East Africa, Madagascar and the Western Indian Ocean, underlined his colleague's personal and professional impact.
"I joined WCS after Madope and I learned a lot from his insights, especially in conservation. He will continue to be an important reference in my career."
The event reaffirmed the positive impact of Madope’s leadership. His legacy will continue to inspire those working in nature conservation in Mozambique and beyond
