WINDHOEK, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Namibia is hosting a three-day national conference to address the ongoing human-wildlife conflict (HWC) in the country.
Speaking at the opening of the conference in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, Wednesday, Namibia's Vice President Nangolo Mbumba said efforts to manage HWC must prioritize the rights and development needs of local communities, while also promoting biodiversity conservation and self-reliance.
Mbumba said to achieve these goals, appropriate mitigation and monitoring methods must be developed, while all stakeholders must be capacitated to effectively manage such conflicts.
"Human-wildlife conflict is complex and thus requires multidimensional solutions. The impact of this conflict on people and their properties is a difficult challenge that conservation agencies and institutions are faced with," Mbumba said, calling on all citizens to work together to minimize losses and the impact caused by wild animals.
He praised the success of conservancies in the country, which are benefiting thousands of citizens through employment creation, and encouraged the management of wildlife for commercial use on freehold farms, contributing to the conservation of wildlife species and the maintenance of biodiversity.
Specific resolutions and actions to implement preventive and protective strategies for HWC management are expected at the conference, which will also establish mechanisms to provide compensation to affected parties whose family members die or are severely injured as a result of HWC.
At least 33 people were killed and 54 others injured due to HWC in Namibia since 2019, according to government statistics. ■