Skumsa NTSHANGA

Ms. Skumsa Ntshanga – is the Chief Director for Biodiversity Management and Permitting under the Ministry of   Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment in South Africa. Her role is to provide strategic oversight and management of all matters relating to biodiversity conservation and management portfolio in the Ministry. Her role includes provision of strategic leadership on the development and formulation of legislative frameworks and policies for conservation and management of biodiversity and associated ecosystems. This includes providing financial mechanisms and human resource capacity for effective and efficient management of biodiversity and associated ecosystems. She is also responsible for the provision of oversight on the coordination and implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements such as UNCCD, CITES, RAMSAR, and AEWA. She has led South Africa’s delegation and negotiation teams in various national, subregional, regional, and international engagements linked to MEAs. She remains a key contact and strategic voice on intergovernmental coordination and stakeholder liaison at programme and project levels in all MEAs.