The CLN logo tops the title page of the media release.

Rural communities in Botswana concerns over anti-hunting laws in the UK

On 22 February 2024, 17 Community Trusts in Botswana along with the Ngamiland Council of NGOs (NCONGO) expressed their deep concern with a campaign advocating for a ban on hunting trophy imports into the United Kingdom (UK) that will negatively affect their livelihoods and wildlife conservation efforts. These Trusts are democratically elected entities speaking on behalf of their respective communities that live alongside elephants and other wildlife species in Botswana.

They expressed their dismay that the former President of Botswana (Seretse Khama Ian Khama) who enacted a hunting ban during his term of office is lending his support to this anti-hunting campaign in the UK. The former President’s hunting ban during 2014-2018 resulted in the loss of income and employment among these communities, leading to food insecurity, worsening poverty and increased elephant poaching levels as communities were disempowered to conserve their wildlife.

Read more: download full media statement.

Around 50 people in a meeting room pose for a group photograph.

Communiqué of the Community Conservation Congress held in Windhoek, Namibia

The First Africa Indigenous People & Local Communities Conservation Congress, organised under the theme “We are nature & nature is us”, convened between 25th and 27th of October 2023, brought together Indigenous People and Local Communities (IPLCs) from the five regions of Africa to discuss, debate, and offer ideas on how to implement the Africa Protected Areas Congress (APAC) Kigali Call to Action and the Kigali IPLC Declaration.

The Community Leaders Network of Southern Africa proudly hosted this even in Windhoek, Namibia. Read the full Communiqué from the event in English here, in French here. The press release for the event in English here, in French here.