5 September 2008
TOP business personalities and conservation experts from 26 countries are gathering in Namibia this weekend to discuss links between business expertise and environmental projects in Africa to unlock the potential of protected areas for socio-economic development.
Launching this year's council meeting of the Leadership for Conservation in Africa initiative, which was started in 2006, President Hifikepunye Pohamba said in Windhoek yesterday that the development of protected areas into "economic engines" would contribute to poverty alleviation and employment creation on the continent, while international business expertise and investments could help unlocking this potential through tourism, trophy hunting and sustainable management.
Although Africa lost many elephants and black rhinos over the past decade, Namibia could reverse the trend.
"Today our wildlife has recovered with nearly 20 000 elephants and over 1 000 of the rare black rhino species roaming our country.
"Namibia today has greater numbers of wildlife than a hundred years ago," Pohamba stated.
In attendance was Ian Cockerill, Managing Drector of Anglo Coal International and German business tycoon and philanthropist Sabine Plattner.
"Namibia has its Community Based Natural Resource Management Programme in place for a decade through enabling policies and laws, and is today a recognised leader in this field," Pohamba noted.
According to Dr Chris Brown of the Namibia Nature Foundation, Africa had a competitive advantage due to its wildlife, breathtaking scenery and unspoilt landscapes.
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