Germany’s 250 mil strengthens tourism and conservation
Financial challenges remain in tourism sector
The financial support comes in addition to approximately N$250 million that was provided in 2020 and successfully implemented to mitigate the negative impacts of Covid-19.
The German government has mobilised approximately N$256 million to support efforts to mitigate the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic in the conservation and tourism sector.
According to a joint statement issued by the environment and tourism ministry and the German embassy in Namibia, the sector has been significantly affected by the loss of income from tourism during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Although local and international tourism has seen a recovery over the past few months, substantial financial gaps remain. This has impacted employment, vital conservation activities and the survival of local communities, wildlife and protected areas.
The statement explains that funds to mitigate the economic losses will be provided through the KfW Development Bank to the ministry through its conservation relief, recovery and resilient facility.
Second helping
This comes in addition to approximately N$250 million that was provided in 2020 and successfully implemented to mitigate the negative impacts of Covid-19.
The ministry and embassy statement noted that wage relief saved the jobs of 2 339 local tourism enterprise employees during times of need and 176 local tailors benefitted from orders to produce 216 000 face masks for 86 conservancy communities.
The ministry’s vehicle fleet also received significant support to ensure ongoing patrols for wildlife protection and maintenance park infrastructure.
Furthermore, approximately N$150 million will be channelled through the conservation facility to support communal conservancies and the local tourism sector in securing ongoing employment of game guards, local people working for the conservancies and conservancy tourism businesses.
“The resilience of communal conservancies will be strengthened through supporting the implementation of human-wildlife conflict mitigation and prevention measures.”
Additionally, N$106 million has been set aside to aid national parks and protected areas to minimise detrimental ecological impacts of Covid-19.
These measures will be implemented through the existing NamParks V project. Funds are meant to ensure the continuation of anti-poaching and wildlife crime prevention measures and to continue ongoing patrols and implementation of park regulations. The recent rhino poaching incidents underline the great importance of the funds to prevent wildlife crime.
According to a joint statement issued by the environment and tourism ministry and the German embassy in Namibia, the sector has been significantly affected by the loss of income from tourism during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Although local and international tourism has seen a recovery over the past few months, substantial financial gaps remain. This has impacted employment, vital conservation activities and the survival of local communities, wildlife and protected areas.
The statement explains that funds to mitigate the economic losses will be provided through the KfW Development Bank to the ministry through its conservation relief, recovery and resilient facility.
Second helping
This comes in addition to approximately N$250 million that was provided in 2020 and successfully implemented to mitigate the negative impacts of Covid-19.
The ministry and embassy statement noted that wage relief saved the jobs of 2 339 local tourism enterprise employees during times of need and 176 local tailors benefitted from orders to produce 216 000 face masks for 86 conservancy communities.
The ministry’s vehicle fleet also received significant support to ensure ongoing patrols for wildlife protection and maintenance park infrastructure.
Furthermore, approximately N$150 million will be channelled through the conservation facility to support communal conservancies and the local tourism sector in securing ongoing employment of game guards, local people working for the conservancies and conservancy tourism businesses.
“The resilience of communal conservancies will be strengthened through supporting the implementation of human-wildlife conflict mitigation and prevention measures.”
Additionally, N$106 million has been set aside to aid national parks and protected areas to minimise detrimental ecological impacts of Covid-19.
These measures will be implemented through the existing NamParks V project. Funds are meant to ensure the continuation of anti-poaching and wildlife crime prevention measures and to continue ongoing patrols and implementation of park regulations. The recent rhino poaching incidents underline the great importance of the funds to prevent wildlife crime.
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