09 Oct 2025

Acting Minister of Environment and Tourism has expressed appreciation for support the Global Environment Facility (GEF) provides to Botswana to achieve environmental sustainability goals.

Delivering a keynote address at the replenishment meeting of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in Kasane on Wednesday, Dr Phenyo Butale said since the first funding cycle of GEF, Botswana had benefitted a total of US$50.8 million in grants.

He explained that GEF resources had helped the tone for some policies and investments of public resources to align with the global commitments Botswana made through multilateral environmental agreements.

“In the performance of our global duty, Botswana has continued to ensure effective governance and legislative instruments and maintain high standards in the sustainable management of biodiversity rich ecosystems such as the Okavango Delta, the Makgadikgadi Wetlands system and Chobe,” he said.

He indicated that Botswana, as a grassland country, invested in protection and rehabilitation of rangelands as a cornerstone of the agricultural sector.

Furthermore, he said rangelands were an important ecosystem as a habitat for biodiversity and also as a carbon sink.

“This meeting signals GEF’s commitment to ensuring that it remains a strong and effective mechanism for financing environmental action across the world especially in the communities that needed it most,” he said.

For his part, GEF chief executive officer, Mr Carlos Rodriguez applauded Botswana for mobilising domestic resources effectively more than any other country for environment sustainability.

He said the organisation played a huge role in facilitating conservation strategies across the globe. Mr Rodriguez said GEF was established to address global environmental challenge, which included biodiversity loss, climate change and pollution.

He added that they had funded marine conservation to prevent ecological damage from economic activities.

“It is fitting to hold this meeting in Kasane, which is part of the Kavango Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area where multiple projects are funded by GEF in forest management, wildlife conservation and capacity building,” he said.

He said they supported natural resources management by funding projects that promoted biodiversity and sustainable development.

Currently, he said GEF constituted 187 countries who worked together to strive for international environmental goals. biodiversity and sustainable development. ENDS