• Mr President, direct appointment is not a panacea for corruptionJune 2, 2025
    Botswana is in the storm of procurement corruption that has been left unattended for the longest time. Yet it appears it is difficult if not impossible to craft long-lasting solutions to as far as possible, cure procurement corruption because… Read more: Mr President, direct appointment is not a panacea for corruption
  • ‘Raise capital through BSE’June 2, 2025
    • BSE CEO implores CEEP beneficiaries • BSE, Debswana, Stanbic partner to unlock growth BAKANG TIRO editors@thepatriot.co.bw Beneficiaries of Debswana Diamond Company Citizen Economic Empowerment Programme (CEEP)have been encouraged to raise capital in the Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE). This… Read more: ‘Raise capital through BSE’
  • ‘Give us our land back’- SaleshandoJune 2, 2025
    Demands return of 22 000 ha in Okavango Delta to Ngamiland residents Accuses Masisi govt of land grabbing, calls for restoration of tribal Land SOLOMON TJINYEKA editors@thepatriot.co.bw RelatedPosts ‘Raise capital through BSE’ ‘Give us our land back’- Saleshando Mining… Read more: ‘Give us our land back’- Saleshando
  • Mining sector endures worst recessionMay 27, 2025
    Mining shows zero confidence on better business conditions Weaker global demand of rough diamonds trouble the sector Other sectors optimistic about improved conditions in 2025   BAKANG TIRO RelatedPosts ‘Raise capital through BSE’ ‘Give us our land back’- Saleshando… Read more: Mining sector endures worst recession
  • Who is the PSP PROTECTING?May 27, 2025
    “She is protecting those facing corruption probe, hence removing DCEC intelligence head”- claim The DCEC recently confirmed that it was investigating some senior govt officials   DITIRO MOTLHABANE RelatedPosts ‘Raise capital through BSE’ ‘Give us our land back’- Saleshando… Read more: Who is the PSP PROTECTING?
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Analysis & Opinions
  • Vacancies & Tenders
  • Login
  • Register
Monday, June 2, 2025
17 °c
Gaborone
21 ° Tue
22 ° Wed
24 ° Thu
26 ° Fri
The Patriot On Sunday
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Analysis & Opinions
  • Vacancies & Tenders
No Result
View All Result
Cart / $0.00

No products in the cart.

  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Analysis & Opinions
  • Vacancies & Tenders
No Result
View All Result
The Patriot On Sunday
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Namibia/Angola list Okavango basin as UNESCO site

patriot by patriot
November 15, 2020
in News
250
0
491
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
ShareShareShare

Reports that Angola and Namibia are committed to also list their side of the Okavango basin as a World Heritage Site under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) comes as a relief to Botswana that the country’s prestigious Okavango Delta will be secure from potential threats emerging from upstream that could lead to its ecological collapse. 

The new developments comes as an assurance to Botswana that Angola and Namibia may genuinely indeed have no intentions whatsoever of harming Botswana’s wetland resource.

RelatedPosts

‘Give us our land back’- Saleshando

Who is the PSP PROTECTING?

BDP shakes BPF

The fourth longest river system in Southern Africa originates from the Angolan highlands passing through Namibia on its way into Botswana’s Okavango Delta. This then means that the existence of Botswana’s Okavango Delta is mainly depended on the water fed by the Cubango and Cuito Rivers from Angola and the Kavango River from Namibia.

Disturbing reports emerged in the past few years that the two countries were allegedly constructing massive water channels from their sides that diverts water from flowing abundantly down into the Okavango Delta. Namibia was reportedly considering extracting water from Kavango River to use for power generation, agriculture and to supply their capital Windhoek. There was also reported increased agricultural development places in Angola which put more pressure on the Cubango and Cuito Rivers.

The reports were also confirmed by the former Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, Tshekedi Khama who revealed that Angola has reportedly constructed 150 kilometers long and 30 meters wide channels along their river upstream. Addressing a kgotla meeting in Maun in 2018 Khama added that there were also reports that Chinese nationals have invaded Angola in large numbers to plough rice along the Okavango basin. 

This raised fears that the existence of the Okavango Delta will then be at a risk something which will consequently impact negatively on Botswana’s tourism sector. The wetland resource is the major contributor to the country’s tourism sector which happen to also be the second largest contributor to Botswana’s GDP after the mining sector.

Authorities in Angola and Namibia have however refuted the reports stressing that the water usage in their countries is meaningless noting that there is no how it can threaten the existence of the Okavango Delta.

Addressing the media in Maun, Director at the Department of National Museum and Monuments, Gaogakwe Phorano  noted that such allegations have not been confirmed. He said, “Yes we are aware of reports that there are on-going developments upstream the delta, but as for us the reports have not yet been confirmed to be true.”

Phorano said the fact that Angola and Namibia are also committed to the co-listing of the entire Okavango basin as a World Heritage Site is an assurance that the two countries are also committed to protection of the Okavango Delta. He highlighted that Angola has even set aside a huge chunk of area between themselves and Namibia as a National Park, a decision which he says further assures that the country is committed to conserving the Okavango basin.

Phorano indicated that as Botswana they are doing as much as they can to see to it that the Okavango Delta is protected. The Okavango Delta was in 1996 designated as a Ramsar site and it was also  inscribed as a World Heritage site in 2014. It also turns out that it was actually Botswana who persuaded Angola and Namibia to also list their sites as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. By doing so the country was certain that its Okavango Delta will be secure as the entire basin will now be regulated by UNESCO.

“In June last year we had a meeting here in Maun where we had the Namibians, the Angolans and other relevant stakeholders and it was here where we engaged to tell them about the need for them to list their sites because this is a site of outstanding universal value..And we think if that happens we will be secure as country because we will now be managing this site in a similar manner under one regulatory body,” Phorano indicated.

The June trans-boundary cooperation meeting between the three countries was meant to review their existing knowledge and cooperation on conservation and management of the Cubango-Okavango River Basin and the Okavango Delta World Heritage property. It is believed that effective trans boundary cooperation among the three countries on management of the shared Cubango-Okavango River basin is critical for the conservation of the Okavango Delta heritage property in Botswana. The meeting was also meant to assess the opportunity and obstacles for strengthening the conservation of the shared water resource and moving forward with the trans boundary nomination of the Okavango Delta.

Meanwhile it has been said that the revenue generation of the Okavango Delta into Botswana has increased into billions of Pula after the wetland area was listed as a World Heritage Site in 2014. The number of international tourists who are visiting the delta since then is also reported to have increased.

Related

Tags: Okavango

Get real time update about this post categories directly on your device, subscribe now.

Unsubscribe
Previous Post

Govt digitalises tourism sector

Next Post

Language spoils Cuban doctors, patients relations

Related Posts

‘Give us our land back’- Saleshando
News

‘Give us our land back’- Saleshando

June 2, 2025
Who is the PSP PROTECTING?
News

Who is the PSP PROTECTING?

May 27, 2025
BDP shakes BPF
News

BDP shakes BPF

May 26, 2025
Civil Service salary talks begin
News

Civil Service salary talks begin

May 19, 2025
Mine workers blast Boko
News

Mine workers blast Boko

May 19, 2025
Khama pokes Motshegwa
News

Khama pokes Motshegwa

May 13, 2025
Next Post
Language spoils Cuban doctors, patients relations

Language spoils Cuban doctors, patients relations

Please login to join discussion
  • Mr President, direct appointment is not a panacea for corruptionJune 2, 2025
    Botswana is in the storm of procurement corruption that has been left unattended for the longest time. Yet it appears it is difficult if not impossible to craft long-lasting solutions to as far as possible, cure procurement corruption because… Read more: Mr President, direct appointment is not a panacea for corruption
  • ‘Raise capital through BSE’June 2, 2025
    • BSE CEO implores CEEP beneficiaries • BSE, Debswana, Stanbic partner to unlock growth BAKANG TIRO editors@thepatriot.co.bw Beneficiaries of Debswana Diamond Company Citizen Economic Empowerment Programme (CEEP)have been encouraged to raise capital in the Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE). This… Read more: ‘Raise capital through BSE’
  • ‘Give us our land back’- SaleshandoJune 2, 2025
    Demands return of 22 000 ha in Okavango Delta to Ngamiland residents Accuses Masisi govt of land grabbing, calls for restoration of tribal Land SOLOMON TJINYEKA editors@thepatriot.co.bw RelatedPosts ‘Raise capital through BSE’ ‘Give us our land back’- Saleshando Mining… Read more: ‘Give us our land back’- Saleshando
  • Mining sector endures worst recessionMay 27, 2025
    Mining shows zero confidence on better business conditions Weaker global demand of rough diamonds trouble the sector Other sectors optimistic about improved conditions in 2025   BAKANG TIRO RelatedPosts ‘Raise capital through BSE’ ‘Give us our land back’- Saleshando… Read more: Mining sector endures worst recession
  • Who is the PSP PROTECTING?May 27, 2025
    “She is protecting those facing corruption probe, hence removing DCEC intelligence head”- claim The DCEC recently confirmed that it was investigating some senior govt officials   DITIRO MOTLHABANE RelatedPosts ‘Raise capital through BSE’ ‘Give us our land back’- Saleshando… Read more: Who is the PSP PROTECTING?
The Patriot On Sunday

© 2024 Copyright The Patriot On Sunday - Inspired by Search Mart.

Navigate Site

  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Disclaimer
  • Contact Us

Follow Us

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Cart
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Analysis & Opinions
  • Vacancies & Tenders

© 2024 Copyright The Patriot On Sunday - Inspired by Search Mart.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?