Shifeta addresses concession benefits
Concessions must have meaningful impact
Tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta has highlighted the significant tourism opportunities in rural areas, which can contribute to poverty eradication.
Tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta has directed all Namibian conservancies to provide him with an annual report regarding the concessions they hold.
He specified that this report should include details on the funds received from operators for concessions and a benefit distribution plan approved during the conservancies’ annual general meeting (AGM).
“I have directed that at least 50% of income generated must be directed at projects in the community and benefit them. These projects must be approved by the AGM.”
Shifeta emphasised that he will not sign any concession agreements until he receives these reports.
Additionally, he highlighted the significant tourism opportunities in rural areas, which can contribute to poverty eradication.
Meaningful impact
Shifeta stressed that concessions granted by the ministry should have a meaningful impact on poverty alleviation.
“When we give concessions to communities, we should look at the situation there and the natural resource capital available.”
He said the ministry should develop a valuation of natural capital, which can be presented to investors.
"Yes, you bring in N$100 million, but when we quantify this, what this community has in terms of natural capital valuation is close to N$1 billion.”
The minister said sometimes this is not taken into account.
Review processes
Therefore, the directors of tourism, wildlife and parks will work together to review concessions that have already been granted and those intended for the future.
“I have already given the directive that all previously displaced communities from parks and protected areas must benefit. Some of them find themselves in urban areas; they were displaced maybe 200 years ago, and they find themselves with no land.
“So we always look at their ancestral land, and this is where the ancestral land question comes in. So we have already identified some communities, and some have already been given concessions.
“But this concession is a packaged product so that we can attract more tourists and, in the end, benefit communities.”
Use natural resources
Shifeta again stressed that Namibia’s conservancies and concessions need to be reviewed to see whether they really benefit local communities.
“We cannot rely on outside support every time with drought relief. I do not like that. This while communities have the natural resources. They need somebody who has a business to train them.”
Communities can survive on their own natural resources without begging for outside help, he said.
“We want our communities to appreciate natural resources, and when communities see that they are benefitting, they will be able to conserve what they have and not be able to say 'now these are tourists who are just coming here to milk us.'”
He said when communities benefit, they will also take care of tourists.
“They will become policemen and women of tourists and not allow tourists to be harassed. But if they do not see any benefit, they will just think it is nonsense.”
Shifeta added that the tourism industry needs to start doing things based on commercial principles.
“Not on business principles. When you are doing commercial activities, you have to look at your assets and abilities. You need to make sure whoever you want to attract is coming and buying your product, goods or services, and that your clients are happy.”
He specified that this report should include details on the funds received from operators for concessions and a benefit distribution plan approved during the conservancies’ annual general meeting (AGM).
“I have directed that at least 50% of income generated must be directed at projects in the community and benefit them. These projects must be approved by the AGM.”
Shifeta emphasised that he will not sign any concession agreements until he receives these reports.
Additionally, he highlighted the significant tourism opportunities in rural areas, which can contribute to poverty eradication.
Meaningful impact
Shifeta stressed that concessions granted by the ministry should have a meaningful impact on poverty alleviation.
“When we give concessions to communities, we should look at the situation there and the natural resource capital available.”
He said the ministry should develop a valuation of natural capital, which can be presented to investors.
"Yes, you bring in N$100 million, but when we quantify this, what this community has in terms of natural capital valuation is close to N$1 billion.”
The minister said sometimes this is not taken into account.
Review processes
Therefore, the directors of tourism, wildlife and parks will work together to review concessions that have already been granted and those intended for the future.
“I have already given the directive that all previously displaced communities from parks and protected areas must benefit. Some of them find themselves in urban areas; they were displaced maybe 200 years ago, and they find themselves with no land.
“So we always look at their ancestral land, and this is where the ancestral land question comes in. So we have already identified some communities, and some have already been given concessions.
“But this concession is a packaged product so that we can attract more tourists and, in the end, benefit communities.”
Use natural resources
Shifeta again stressed that Namibia’s conservancies and concessions need to be reviewed to see whether they really benefit local communities.
“We cannot rely on outside support every time with drought relief. I do not like that. This while communities have the natural resources. They need somebody who has a business to train them.”
Communities can survive on their own natural resources without begging for outside help, he said.
“We want our communities to appreciate natural resources, and when communities see that they are benefitting, they will be able to conserve what they have and not be able to say 'now these are tourists who are just coming here to milk us.'”
He said when communities benefit, they will also take care of tourists.
“They will become policemen and women of tourists and not allow tourists to be harassed. But if they do not see any benefit, they will just think it is nonsense.”
Shifeta added that the tourism industry needs to start doing things based on commercial principles.
“Not on business principles. When you are doing commercial activities, you have to look at your assets and abilities. You need to make sure whoever you want to attract is coming and buying your product, goods or services, and that your clients are happy.”
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