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French lawmakers commend CBNRM

2019-09-26  Staff Reporter

French lawmakers commend CBNRM

George Sanzila

WINDHOEK – A French parliamentarian, Guillaume Chevrollier, has praised Namibia’s Community Based Natural Resource Management Programme (CBNRM) for being an engine towards the promotion of sustainable growth.

Chevrollier, who is also president of the parliament friendship group between France and Southern
Africa, is part of a delegation of two French lawmakers that includes Rachel Mazuir, currently on a visit
to Namibia to look at issues related to climate change such as agriculture, renewable energy and biodiversity.

Many rural people in Namibia have been lifted out of poverty through biodiversity conservation. In 1996 
the government of Namibia amended the nature conservation ordinance to allow for rural communities to
set up and register conservancies for the purpose of sustainable use of natural resources outside national
parks through what is known as community-based natural resource management (CBNRM).

Over N$90 million is generated annually through conservancies. He commended Namibia’s
management of its natural resources when he met the Speaker of the National Assembly, Professor. Peter
Katjavivi on Wednesday. The French lawmaker stated that it was fascinating how Namibia
has managed to elevate efforts to promote sustainable use of natural resources and coexistence between
the environment and the community.

“We are very impressed with the management of conservancies and how it is benefiting communities.
It is creating jobs and income for many people and in the process creating development and growth
sustainably,” noted Chevrollier.

The lawmaker also proposed the creation of a French-Namibia parliamentary friendship group to
look at issues of climate change more holistically. Katjavivi was in agreement that Namibia’s flagship conservation programme has benefited both the environment and communities but cautioned that climate change had the potential to reverse the gains if mitigation measures are not hurriedly put in place.

“If climate change is not properly addressed it may disrupt our achievementsandtheimplementation
of sustainable development goals. It is important that as parliament we work together to have mitigating
measures that would have desirable results,” noted Katjavivi. 

The Speaker who appealed for French partnership and expertise, further noted that issues of climate change required collaborative efforts. “As a member of the Inter Parliamentary Union, climate
change is an important issue in Namibia, more so because we are an arid country. We congratulate
France for championing climate change at a high level. We would love to tackle these issues through our parliamentary committees and we would very much love to partner with the French parliament and see how we can manage this situation,” said Katjavivi.

The two lawmakers also visited the Chairperson of the National Council, Margaret Mensah Williams.

*George Sanzila works for the National Assembly in the Division: Research, Information, Publications and
Editorial Services.


2019-09-26  Staff Reporter

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