A world-class trans-frontier conservation area (TFCA) has been created in the Okavango and Zambezi River regions, linking a vast network of national parks, game management areas and conservancies covering an area the size of Italy. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the five countries, amongst them Botswana, in December 2006 to form the Kavango-Zambezi Trans-frontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA).
We welcome such developments, as we believe that the best way to effectively manage natural resources, which are not restricted by artificial borders, is through cooperation between neighbouring countries. However, it is disturbing to learn that four years after a MoU was signed, it is only now that the Ministry of Environment Wildlife and Tourism started consultation with the locals.
Although the minister claims that they have not yet finalised anything on the TFCA, criticism from North West District Councillors about being consulted so late in the day when negotiations between the five countries of Botswana, Angola, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe have reached such an advanced stage, is genuine. If the people’s leaders – Councillors - hardly understand KAZA, what about the ordinary folk?
Government officials need to be reminded that they manage resources on behalf of the general public and should not be selfish with information pertaining to such. Other stakeholders including civil society, the media, traditional leaders and local communities should be brought into the picture from the beginning and be kept abreast throughout. The Press should also be vigilant and report on issues that have a bearing on the lives of people.
Ten years ago Botswana and South Africa declared Africa’s first formal trans-border conservation area, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. One rarely hears anything about benefits accruing to the locals from that arrangement, despite that Botswana contributes three times more land than her counterpart. Instead South Africa has developed infrastructure to maximise benefits from the park, while the locals watch from the sidelines. It’s not farfetched to think that the park attracted a sizeable number of tourists during the recent FIFA World Cup tournament. What benefits have accrued to Botswana?
Government is advised to enter into these agreements with her people in mind, with a clear strategy of how they are going to benefit.
We trust that government will take on board suggestions made by the locals and concerns raised. These include differences in land use between the KAZA countries that will affect the wildlife in Botswana once opened up. Adjacent to Okavango on the Namibian side is Caprivi, which is communal land and this is likely to expose Botswana’s wildlife to unknown dangers. Botswana should ensure that all the countries demonstrate a certain level of commitment to the project, lest we expose our conservation areas to new dangers.