21 Apr 2024

Botswana was given a rousing welcome into the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) in Cascais, Portugal, on Saturday. 

Minister of Environment and Tourism, Mr Dumezweni Mthimkhulu made the announcement at the CIC gala dinner. He said Botswana was grateful to the CIC for the support and other Southern African countries as they faced the challenge of sustainable wildlife conservation. He said by rejoining the CIC, Botswana was fulfilling a promise made by President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi in Germany last year. Minister Mthimkhulu noted that there was a massive interest in Botswana’s conservation story in Germany after President Masisi offered the European country 20 000 elephants. 

He said Botswana’s story was now clear that controlled hunting was not a blood thirsty sport, but part of the conservation strategy. 

Minister Mthimkhulu also noted that Botswana, President Masisi and wildlife had received over 1.9 billion searches in the past few days, saying it was a sign of the impact of the campaign Botswana was making against the plan by European countries that seek to ban trophy hunting by banning the imports of hunting trophies. 

The CIC annual conference was held under the theme: Bridges to Biodiversity. 

The organisation is also celebrating its 70^th  anniversary. 

It promotes the sustainable use of wildlife as part of conservation. Botswana re-joins as a state member and the organisation is active in 80 countries with members comprising, wildlife scientists, non governmental organisations (NGOs) and 27 state members. Botswana has the world’s largest number of elephants in the wild with more than 130 000 occupying the northern part of the country. 

Some of the challenges facing the country in its conservation management is rising human-wildlife conflict, increased frequency of droughts and growing competition for scarce water and grazing resources. Botswana’s conservation strategy is guided by the principles of environmental management, sustainable development and poverty eradication. In addition, it addresses strengthening the gains of community based natural resources management and co-management of wildlife resources with communities. 

The policies create an enabling environment for conservation, sustainable use and management of wildlife resources. 

The dinner was held to raise funds for CIC and was also attended by the Namibia Minister of Environment and Tourism, Mr Pohamba Shifeta. Ends