10 Mar 2019

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has commended Wild Bird Trust and National Geographic for a film on the Okavango Delta.

Speaking at the screening of the film on March 8, Into the Okavango, Dr Masisi said government was happy with the fact that the Okavango was listed as a world heritage site.

He said Botswana’s foreign policy, which related to Angola’s and Namibia’s, was defined by commitment to ensure that they joined forces in protecting the delta.

He said it was a valid preposition which only Botswana, Namibia and Angola had.

Dr Masisi said it was in government’s interest to protect the delta for the benefit of the two countries as well as to grow its value.

He encouraged National Geographic to utilise the partnership with the University of Botswana Okavango Research.

Dr Masisi said government wished that they did more of such researches so that water at the delta remained for many more years.

The Okavango River Basin provides water to about one million people, the world’s largest population of African elephants and significant populations of lions, cheetahs and hundreds of bird species.

However, the once unspoiled oasis is now under siege due to increasing pressure from human activity.

Into the Okavango chronicles a team of modern-day explorers on their epic four-month 1 500 mile expedition across three countries to save the river system that feeds the Okavango Delta, one of the planet’s last wetland wildernesses. ENDS