Windhoek, Namibia - Pohamba Shifeta, the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, announced a significant decrease in rhino poaching in Namibia during 2023. Despite this progress, he emphasized in his end-of-year statement on Monday that poaching continues to pose a challenge in the country.

According to Namibia Press Agency (NAMPA), there were 48 rhinos poached in 2023, down from 92 in the previous year. The number of elephants poached also saw a change, with eight cases in 2023 compared to four in 2022. The minister acknowledged that wildlife conservation in Namibia still faces critical challenges, including poaching, habitat fragmentation, and human-wildlife conflict.

Shifeta stressed the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to control poaching and address human-wildlife conflict, which has increased due to the success of new conservation methods leading to more wildlife outside of national parks. He noted the ministry has paid over N.dollars 31.7 million since 2019 in compensation for losses due to human-wildlife conflicts, including crop damage, livestock losses, and injuries or deaths to people.

In 2023, the ministry achieved an 85 percent compliance rate with the Environmental Management Act, aimed at protecting the natural environment. Shifeta highlighted that the ministry received 1600 applications for environmental clearance, out of which 984 clearance certificates were issued, primarily for infrastructure development, urban development, and mining. The increase in applications was attributed to the introduction of an online application system, which will continue in 2024.

Additionally, the government completed several construction projects in national parks, including Sesriem, Skeleton Coast, and Cape Cross, with further development plans for other national parks. Shifeta concluded by stating the ministry's commitment to continued inspections and collaboration with stakeholders to combat challenges like poaching, human-wildlife conflict, and climate change, emphasizing the vital role of tourism in Namibia's economy.