From Windhoek, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Security has called upon the Head of State to address the escalating security concerns in the Zambezi region through the Namibia Botswana Joint Commission. This appeal follows the committee’s consultative meetings in 2022 with various stakeholders regarding the region’s security state. The committee’s visit was prompted by an increase in harassment and shooting incidents by the Botswana Defense Force (BDF) along the Chobe River, impacting communities there.

According to Namibian Press Agency (NAMPA), A notable incident involved the shooting of three Namibian men and a Zambian national, suspected of poaching, which intensified public demands for government action. The report compiled by the committee highlights ongoing disputes over the 2018 boundary treaty, which local traditional authorities claim lacked proper consultation. Community members along the borderline from Mahunga to Kasika have expressed dissatisfaction with the current treaty, advocating for negotiations and a reversion to the Berlin Treaty lines of 1884, as established by the 1890 Berlin Conference. The report concludes that without cooperation from Botswana authorities, investigating harassment and intimidation incidents against residents living along the borderline remains challenging.