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.