Editorial: Mining, conservancies need co-existence, not conflict

Namibia’s greatest challenge is not choosing between mining and conservation, but finding balance. Dâman Chief Johannes Isaack Seibeb’s call for coexistence between miners and conservancies is both timely and wise. Our country’s mineral wealth and wildlife heritage are not enemies; they are twin pillars of national survival. Mining sustains jobs, revenue, and industrial growth, while conservancies preserve ecosystems that draw global tourism and safeguard cultural identity. Yet too often, these two sectors clash on land that belongs to both nature and people. Communities living on mineral-rich or conservation land should not choose between income and integrity. Animal lives matter — but so do human lives. To champion one above the other is not what even the Scriptures teach. “Are you not of more value than many sparrows?” (Matthew 10:31). True stewardship honours both creation and humanity. Sustainability demands dialogue — between environmental scientists and stakeholders, including miners, traditional leaders, and policymakers. Every exploration licence should carry a social and ecological contract, ensuring that development both heals and harvests. Namibia’s future lies not in walls between sectors, but in bridges built across them. Coexistence is not compromise — it is vision.