On Wednesday, April 6th, 2016, in Gaborone, His Honour the Vice President of Botswana, Hon. Makgweetsi Masisi and Parliamentary leadership committed to strengthening conservation governance by formally launching the all-party Botswana Conservation Parliamentary Caucus (BOCOPAC).
The Vice-President highlighted Botswana’s leadership in conservation for having set aside large portions of land as protected areas, which are home to the largest population of elephants in Africa. He also committed BOCOPAC to addressing the challenges that remain, including wildlife crime, water management, forestry, agriculture, and mineral extraction. The Speaker of Parliament of Botswana, Hon. Gladys Kokorwe, MP, endorsed the launch of the Caucus, emphasising that BOCOPAC should collaborate with Parliamentary Conservation Caucuses in neighbouring countries. A leading MP in the opposition party, Hon. Bagalatia Arone, MP whose constituency is in the Okavango, spearheaded the establishment of the Caucus.
Hon. Mwimba Malama, MP, Provincial Minister for Muchinga Province, Zambia participated in the Botswana launch on behalf of the Zambian Parliamentary Conservation Caucus (ZPCC) and committed to inter-parliamentary collaboration on tackling cross-border conservation challenges.
The Botswana Caucus joins a growing group of Parliamentary Conservation Caucuses in legislatures throughout Africa, Latin America, and the U.S. The International Conservation Caucus Foundation (ICCF) Group is partnering with these conservation caucuses to support the strengthening of legislation and policy governing natural resources and combating wildlife/environmental crime.