The Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Namibia, Gosia Lachut, has urged the Namibian Government to implement stringent measures to combat poaching and illegal resource harvesting.

During a roundtable discussion on poaching and Namibia’s forestry resources, themed ‘Stop Poaching Namibia’s Forestry Resources,’ hosted by the EU Delegation, Lachut emphasised the need for Namibian laws to enforce strict measures in order to prevent the ongoing issues of poaching and illegal resource harvesting.

Lachut said one-fifth of Namibia’s forestry resources have been lost over the past 30 years. She attributed the loss primarily to wildfires, agricultural activities, and the illegal harvesting of forestry resources.

“We should be more ecologically mindful of our resources. Forestry should be equally considered just as oil and gas, and we should take care of the little we are left with, as Namibian resources all belong to Namibians as well as to the new generation,” she said.

Assuring continued support, Lachut affirmed the EU’s commitment to collaborate closely with Namibia and assist forestry stakeholders in safeguarding the country’s resources.

During the same discussion, conservation and environmental journalist Dirk Heinrich emphasised the significance of plants over animals, noting that while animals can reproduce, some trees take up to 100 years to reach maturity.

Deforestation poses a threat to such trees, potentially leading to their extinction.

Journalist and activist John Grobler meanwhile argued that corruption facilitates the movement of poachers across border posts with little scrutiny.

He further asserted that conservation is the price paid for tourism, rather than the other way around.

“Everyone is looking out for themselves around these critical times and that is the problem we are facing,” he said.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency