Prince Harry may have a new headache in connection with his charitable endeavors. The British royal is on the board of African Parks, a nonprofit wildlife conservation group that has been fired by officials in Chad, one of about a dozen countries in Africa where it manages protected areas.
The government of Chad severed ties with African Parks, which is based in South Africa, according to a statement from the charity on Monday. The group said that it had received official correspondence from Hassan Bakhit Djamous, the minister of environment, informing it of the government’s “unilateral decision to terminate the two management mandates it has with African Parks.”
The ministry criticized the group for failing in its mandate to curb poaching, among other allegations of mismanagement, according to The Times of London and news media in Africa. The minister did not respond to an emailed request for comment.
The termination comes less than two months after Harry, the Duke of Sussex, was cleared by Britain’s charities’ regulator over accusations of widespread bullying and harassment at Sentebale, a charity he co-founded to support young people in southern Africa. That dispute, which played out in public over many months, prompted him to resign from the charity.
The latest friction casts another shadow over the philanthropic efforts of the prince, whose website notes that he sits on the board of African Parks and that he “has dedicated his adult life to advancing causes that he is passionate about and that advance permanent change for people and places.” Representatives for Harry did not respond to requests for comment.
In a statement, African Parks called the decision by Chad to terminate a management arrangement for three parks in the country “unilateral” and said it had “initiated discussions with the ministry to understand the government’s position and to explore the best possible way forward.” It noted that “significant conservation and social gains” had been achieved over the past 15 years.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.