24 Mar 2024

The Minister of Environment and Tourism, Mr Dumezweni Mthimkhulu, arrived in Germany on Saturday at the start of the third leg of his mission to sensitise Europe about Botswana’s conservation efforts, which could be harmed by a ban on importation of hunting trophies.

His trip to Germany comes in the wake of Friday’s passing of the hunting trropies (import prohibition) Bill for second reading by the British Parliament.
The bill will proceed to committee stage where it will be debated line by line before it can be passed into law.

Opponents of the bill are pushing for an amendment that would exempt Botswana and other Southern African countries from a blanket ban on importation of hunting trophies into the United Kingdom.

There is a concern that the banning of such importation could spread throughout Europe, something that could deal a blow to efforts by Botswana and other Southern African countries who host a large number of species such as elephants.
Botswana alone is home to more than 130 000 elephants.

Mr Mthimkhulu told lawmakers in the United Kingdom and France that communities who lived in areas where these animals existed were in constant danger.

He said people had lost their lives while others had been maimed by wild animals, which competed for resources with livestock and arable farming.

He said it was important for the numbers to be controlled through hunting. Minister Mthimkhulu made it clear that proceeds from hunting expeditions benefitted such communities.

The minister stressed that if the hunting aspect of conservation was to be taken out of the mix, it would disincentive such communities to continue caring for the animals.

While in France, Minister Mthimkhulu met with the Deputy Foreign Minister Chrysoula Zacharopoulou.

The foreign minister urged the minister together with other African countries to lobby Members of the European Parliament as a united force.

She said France, as a member of the European Union, could only be guided by the decision of the European parliament on the issue of trophy hunting ban.

Minister Mthimkhulu and his team visited the Hunting and Nature Faire near Paris.

The fair, which is the second largest in France attracted hundreds of hunting enthusiasts.

It covered the entire value chain of hunting and a substantial number of French hunters regularly visited countries like Namibia, Mozambique, South Africa and other African countries.
It has emerged that hunting expeditions to Botswana have not yet picked up pace since the hunting ban was lifted in 2019.

While in Germany, Minister Mthimkhulu will on Tuesday meet the environment minister, Ms Steffi Lemke, member of the German Parliament, Dr Lina Seitz and representatives of the International Council for Game and Wildlife.
Minister Mthimkhulu will conclude his visit to Germany by addressing a press conference on Wednesday. ENDS