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Sifelani Tsiko-Environment Editor

NAMIBIA has criticised its former colonial ruler Germany’s plans to ban trophy hunting imports saying the move will be counter — productive and damaging to the Southern African country’s local communities and wildlife conservation efforts.

In a letter to the German government, Namibia’s Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta said the ban on hunting trophy imports by Germany will have negative effects on the country’s wildlife conservation programmes.

“We are very concerned about the current developments in Germany regarding the legal import of hunting trophies, as further German and or, European restrictions and import bans will inevitably harm Namibia’s species conservation strategy,” he said.

“German guests play a crucial role for our communal and private landowners, with 80 percent of German hunters naming Namibia as their favourite hunting destination in Africa.

“We consider any import restrictions or bans of trophies listed in Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendices 1 and II which go beyond the CITES regulations as unilateral, unlawful, neo-colonial interference with our sovereign right to sustainable use of our resources.”

Mr Shifeta said it was important for Germany to consult Namibia before it adopts the import restrictions.

Consultation, he said, was a major requirement under the CITES agreement.

“We are therefore once again offering a professional dialogue between the Namibian Ministry for Environment, Forestry and Tourism and the German ministry and the relevant expert authorities,” Mr Shifeta said.

“We invite you, minister, to visit Namibia at any time to witness our success in wildlife conservation through sustainable use or we are also ready to advise you in Berlin.”

Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, Namibia and Zambia are concerned that the ban on trophy hunting will hurt the livelihoods of local communities and tourism earnings that help the countries conserve their wildlife resources.

Trophy hunting involves the killing of large animals such as elephants, buffaloes, elands, lions, tigers and others for sport.

Hunters often pay large sums of money for this and keep the heads or other parts of the animals for display.

In 2022, the number of permits issued by Namibia for various categories of trophy hunting totalled 6 267. 

The country generates e13,6 million (about N$227 million) in annual hunting revenues and employs over 6 000 people in rural areas.