Forestry and Tourism – Windhoek Observer

11 Aug

Banning trophy hunting will be catastrophic for conservation

ObserverNational NewsAustralia, Austria, Banning trophy hunting will be catastrophic for conservation, Czech Republic, Denmark, Forestry and Tourism, France, Germany, Hungary, Minister of Environment, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, USA

Staff Writer The Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has come out guns blazing as he defends the significance of trophy conservation in the country, amid an international outcry to ban the import and export of trophies, saying countries who are advocating for this are jealous, arguing that a ban would negatively affect sustainable conservation. Pohamba Shifeta said there are so many wild animals whose numbers have surpassed the carrying sustainable capacity, hence the reason why many cases of human wildlife conflict is on the increase. “The same countries that are writing letters to us requesting for our wild animals,…

04 Aug

Poaching in national parks decrease

ObserverNational News24 black rhinos and 9 white rhinos, 33 rhinos poached in Namibia, Forestry and Tourism, Ministry of Environment, Romeo Muyunda

Staff Wrter The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has noted that since strengthening its wildlife protection strategies in National Parks, poaching has decreased there. However, spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said that poachers appears to have shifted their focus to custodianship farms and private farms with white rhinos. “To date we have a recorded 33 rhinos poached in Namibia, 24 black rhinos and 9 white rhinos. This year’s poaching cases include nine (9) rhinos poached in custodianship farms, another 9 on private farms and 15 in the Etosha National Park. Namibia has recorded 44 rhinos poached in 2021, 42 in 2020,…

13 Apr

Unprocessed timber seized

ObserverUncategorisedForestry and Tourism, Romeo Muyunda, Unprocessed timber seized

Staff Writer The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has announced the seizure last weekend of raw timber from a truck that was destined for South Africa. The confiscation follows the ministry’s statement earlier this month that Namibia will only allow the export of processed timber products. According to the chief public relations officer in the ministry, Romeo Muyunda ‘’1500 planks on the truck are held and the transport permit temporally suspended pending further investigations to establish where the timber came from and if it was legally acquired”. Minister Pohamba Shifeta also warned Namibians not to over exploit natural resources,…

09 Dec

New Gambling board inaugurated

ObserverObserver MoneyForestry and Tourism, Gambling Board, Minister of Environment, Pohamba Shifeta

Eba Kandovazu MINISTER of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, has inaugurated the Board of the Gambling Board. Ben Shikongo is Chairperson deputised Toska Sem while Josua Kaumbi, Sandra !Owoses, Uerijeta Kauaria, Erastus Johannes and Amanda Heydenreich are the other members. “I would like to urge the Board to ensure that the Gambling Board is run on sound corporate governance principles with regards to exercising of its powers and functions. The Ministry would like the Board’s commercial activities to contribute to the economic growth of this country as required in the Harambee Prosperity Plan II and always safeguard inclusive development…

28 Nov

Man killed by elephant, GRN to pay N$100 000

ObserverObserver MoneyForestry and Tourism, Ministry of Environment, Romeo Muyunda

Eba Kandovazu THE family of Matala Mafuta, aged 71, who was instantly killed by an elephant yesterday in the Bwabwata National Park, will be paid N$ 100 000 by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism. Mafuta, according to the ministry Spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda, was attacked and killed by the elephant around 9h30. He hails from Omega 3 village. Muyunda explains that the incident occurred in the area of the village, which is within the park and is zoned as Management Resource Use Zone, Zambezi region. Investigations found that the victim was on his way to his nearby crop field…

11 Nov

New lotteries board inaugurated

ObserverObserver MoneyForestry and Tourism, lotteries, Ministry of Environment

Tujoromajo Kasuto NEW lotteries board members were inaugurated today at a brief press conference at the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism and for three years from 1 July, 2021 to 30 June, 2024. The board is chaired by Michael Mutonga with Tabitha Mbome as his deputy and other members are Herlinde Paulino Alcock, Immanuel !Hanabeb, Charlotte N. Kapose and Wycliff Shililifa. A new Lotteries Act, Act no. 13 of 2017 was passed by Parliament and signed into law by the President of the Republic of Namibia in December 2017. This law will create a new regulatory environment in the…

29 Oct

Government to re-look at COVID-19 measures …as second wave of pandemic hits Europe

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Forestry and Tourism, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS)

Andrew Kathindi The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has said it is monitoring the second COVID-19 wave currently occurring in Europe and will amend current measures as the situation on the ground unfolds. Chair of the Tourism Revival Initiative (TRI) within the Tourism Ministry, Seimy Christoph-Shidute told Windhoek Observer that the ministry is on alert and concerned by the developments in Europe and elsewhere. “Together with Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) we are making sure that in addition to the negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests that every tourist must provide, further health screening is done on arrival at…

26 Aug

Tourism revival measures announced

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Forestry and Tourism, Immigration, Minister of Health and Social Services, Minister of Home Affairs, Ministry of Environment, Safety and Security

Staff Writer The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has announced protocols guiding the international tourism revival initiative which comes into effect next month. The initiative is a government plan aimed at providing a lifeline to the country’s tourism sector which is on the verge of collapse due to the closure of the borders as part of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. This announcement comes after two failed attempts by government to open the borders to international tourist arrivals due to increases in infection rates in different parts of the country. In addition, the working group of the…

16 Jul

Germany grants N$250m to MEFT

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Forestry and Tourism, German Federal Government, Ministry of Environment, Namibian government

…to mitigate pandemic effects on environment and conservation Staff Writer The German Federal Government has availed approximately N$250 million to support the Namibian Government, through the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, in mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the conservation and tourism sector. This comes as the conservation and tourism sector has been significantly affected by the loss of income from tourism, caused by worldwide lockdown measures and international travel restrictions, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Countrywide employment and vital conservation activities are in jeopardy, risking the survival of local communities, wildlife and protected areas. The funds…