Mr. Dumezweni Mthimkhulu, the Minister of Environment and Tourism, arrived in Germany on Saturday to initiate the third phase of his campaign aimed at raising awareness in Europe about Botswana's conservation endeavors, which could be negatively impacted by a ban on importing hunting trophies.
His visit to Germany follows the recent advancement of the hunting trophies (import prohibition) Bill to its second reading in the British Parliament on Friday. The bill will undergo further scrutiny during the committee stage before potentially becoming law.
Opponents of the bill are advocating for an amendment that would exempt Botswana and other Southern African countries from a blanket ban on importing hunting trophies into the United Kingdom. There are concerns that such a ban could proliferate across Europe, posing a significant challenge to conservation efforts in Botswana and other Southern African nations, which are home to a large number of species such as elephants, with Botswana alone boasting over 130,000 elephants.
Mr. Mthimkhulu emphasized to lawmakers in the United Kingdom and France the ongoing dangers faced by communities residing in areas inhabited by these animals. He highlighted incidents where individuals lost their lives or suffered injuries due to conflicts with wild animals, which compete for resources with livestock and agriculture. He underscored the importance of controlled hunting to manage animal populations, noting that proceeds from hunting expeditions benefit local communities. Removing hunting from the conservation equation, he argued, would disincentivize communities from caring for the animals.
During his visit to France, Minister Mthimkhulu met with Deputy Foreign Minister Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, who urged him and other African countries to unite in lobbying Members of the European Parliament. Minister Mthimkhulu and his team also attended the Hunting and Nature Faire near Paris, a significant event attracting numerous hunting enthusiasts and covering various aspects of hunting.
It has been observed that hunting expeditions to Botswana have not seen a significant increase since the lifting of the hunting ban in 2019.
While in Germany, Minister Mthimkhulu will meet with Environment Minister Ms. Steffi Lemke, German Parliament member Dr. Lina Seitz, and representatives of the International Council for Game and Wildlife. He will conclude his visit by holding a press conference on Wednesday.
