18 Jul 2017

OKACOM has embarked on consultative meetings with key stakeholders in the three Okavango basin depended countries of Angola, Botswana and  Namibia.  

The consultative workshops would enable stakeholders to provide their input on what they want included in the report.

OKACOM secretary, Mr Sekgowa Motsumi told stakeholders in Maun recently that the main purpose of the CORB report was to provide an update on the status and trends of basin resources and trends in the management and programmatic interventions in the CORB.

He said stakeholder input was important as they could suggest issues and identify emerging issues that needed to be incorporated in the preparation of the state of the Cubango-Okavango River Basin (CORB) report.

He said they would have an opportunity to gather information of stakeholder perspectives on the progress in implementation of the national action plans and strategic action programme.

OKACOM is the technical adviser to the contracting parties on matters of conservation, development and utilisation of water resources of common interest in the CORB.

Mr Motsumi stated that they were promoting coordinated and sustainable water resources management of the basin while addressing legitimate social and economic needs of the riparian states.

He explained that the system was important as it contributed to tourism in Botswana, adding that there were different sectors which used the basin for survival and beneficial interests.

He said there was need to come up with sound environmental management practices to ensure the sustainable utilisation of the basin for future generation.

One of the consultants, Mr Admire Ndlhovu explained that the report was in response to the need to keep the state, trends and outlook of the basin system under review.

The report, he said, would assess the effectiveness of the SAP formulated with input from the findings of the Trans boundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA).

The CORB report is also expected to inform the formulation of new strategies to achieve equitable allocation, sustainable utilisation, sound environmental management and sharing of beneficial uses as envisaged by the OKACOM agreement.

The gathering was informed that CORB would facilitate the understanding of complex issues affecting the basin.

Mr Ndlhovu said some of the objectives of the report was to provide accurate, reliable and up-to-date information on the river basin and its resources.

He said the report would also provide insight into the bio-physical, ecological, social, cultural and economic conditions within the basin and analyse institutional and governance dimensions impacting on the management practices of the basin resources at a trans boundary scale. BOPA