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12 Mar 2023

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has hailed the Nkashi documentary as a step in the right direction towards preserving Botswana’s traditions and knowledge.

The President said this during the formal premiere of the Nkashi: Race for the Okavango documentary in Gaborone Thursday.

He said the documentary had been critical in ensuring derived benefit and retaining knowledge that had been passed on for generations.

Botswana’s future does not only lie in her environmental beauty and sustainability, but also in the wellbeing of the people and preserving their ways of life, hence government prioritised working with companies like De Beers, with similar interests and sustainable returns for all, he said.

“It is for this reason that the National Geographic Society is also a strong partner for Botswana. Their work in the delta, personified by the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project, brings a lot of value to our conservation efforts as a country,” he said.

Dr Masisi further noted that not only did they possess the expertise, innovation and technology needed to help drive sustainable impact, but they also had the global reach to share with the world incredible stories of the importance of the Delta.

He said the documentary through Okavango Eternal, provided vital steps towards sharing the importance of work done to protect the Delta.

In addition, Dr Masisi said the work gave an opportunity to sell the culture of Botswana which was wonderfully weaved with principles of conservation and how Batswana co-existed with their environment.

The President stated that the preservation of the natural wonders including the Delta was an economic and social issue which added on economic growth and job opportunities.

“To achieve this, it is imperative that we work together as government, private sector and communities to collaborate on practical solutions that balance economic development with environmental protection,” he said.

Meanwhile, De Beers outgoing chief executive officer Bruce Cleaver said, through the Okavango Eternal, it had been their privilege to work alongside the people of Botswana to help build on existing work to protect the source of waters of the Okavango Delta. Cleaver thanked President Masisi for his sound and progressive leadership.

“Indeed, on the back of this, a strong foundation has been laid on conservation and natural resource management. The efforts have garnered great results over time, a case in point being the protective status as granted to the Okavango Delta by UNESCO,” he said.

Cleaver said they were excited about the possibilities that laid ahead on the conservation journey.

He said by working together, an eco-system that was not only economically successful but also socially and environmentally responsible would be created. Ends