By Albertina Nakale
WINDHOEK – Namibia recently received another international award for best wildlife conservation and empowering rural communities due to its outstanding Community Based Natural Resource Management Programme (CBNRMP).
Namibia’s success story comes from its programme fo the conservation of wildlife which helped to set the scene for a conservation strategy in an independent Namibia.
Namibia is among few African countries with an expanding, free roaming population of lion, giraffe and elephant and also has the largest cheetah population in the world.
The award follows the United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s (UNWTO) recognition of 14 finalist organisations from 12 countries around the world that led innovative tourism initiatives in public policy and governance, enterprises, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), research and technology.
In a statement issued last Friday the spokesman of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Romeo Muyunda, said the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) partners with local NGOs, the government and the tourism private sector to bring income into rural communities and empower Namibians to manage and benefit from their wildlife.
“Namibia is a conservation travel destination attracting conscientious travellers. This award must be seen in the context in which WWF-Namibia operates,” stated Muyunda.
The Namibian constitution allows for sustainable utilisation of Namibia’s biodiversity.
Namibia remains committed to the sustainable use of wildlife resources, as is indeed provided for in the country’s national constitution, he said.
“Sustainable use of wildlife resources is the result of good conservation and good wildlife management, and it is our collective interest to ensure that we use this resource sustainably. Today Namibian efforts towards conservation is a global success story that echoes across the continents and is seen as an example of how, by commitment, dedication and community empowerment a nation and its biodiversity base can be transformed, leading to the greatest wildlife recovery story ever told,” he noted.
Other recent awards include the film which is part of the greatest recovery story presentation that won the best film award two weeks ago at the Wildlife and Scenic Festival – the largest film festival in the united States of America.