Namibian national parks receive development support from Germany

The occasion served as the official inauguration of the new infrastructure that includes the renovated Lüderitz Old Post Office to be used as the park headquarters, eight two-bedroom houses for park management staff in Lüderitz; two two-bedroom houses and the converted old office into a two bedroom house for Park Management Staff and one ranger office in Aus; eight two-bedroom houses in Rosh Pinah and one three bed-room house for a senior staff; six two-bedroom houses in Oranjemund and minor additions to the existing office; as well as eight signage walls around strategic entry points to the park.

The new park infrastructure marks yet another milestone of a long-term joint development programme to improve Namibia´s National Parks, co-financed by the Federal Republic of Germany through KFW,, aka Kreditanstalt fuer Wiederaufbau – the German Development Bank – which has for the past 16 years allocated more than 44 million Euros to the Programme for the phases I to V, which equates to some 700 million NAD.

The efforts of the Namibian-German cooperation to develop the Namibian National Parks are steadily contributing to effective park management. The Namibian Parks Programme’s integrated approach involves neighbouring communities and other stakeholders: active collaboration and the resulting benefits ensure a permanent interest in the protection and well-being of the parks and their neighbours.

Building critical park infrastructure will enable the Ministry to effectively and efficiently manage the Tsau //Khaeb (Sperrgebiet) National Park and its support zones, in collaboration with its neighbours, residents and other stakeholders, and to protect the park’s unique flora and fauna. The park management stations will further assist in securing national and transboundary migratory routes for wildlife and managing and increasing tourism development in the region and the country at large.

The support from NamParks to the Tsau //Khaeb (Sperrgebiet) National with the assistance of the German Development Cooperation, through KfW and with co-financing from the Government of the Republic of Namibia through the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, amount to a total cost of 5 million Euros or about 80 million NAD.

The current NamParks IV phase has focused intensively on infrastructure development for Bwabwata, Mudumu and Tsau //Khaeb (Sperrgebiet) National Parks (TKNP), these investments have significantly contributed to integrated park management. A novice park such as TKNP, has also benefited from various management tools including Park management Plan, Park Zonation Plan, Biodiversity monitoring framework, Environmental Education programme and Tourism Development Plan to mention but a few. Promotion of the coexistence of mining and biodiversity is pivotal to the holistic management of this area, hence the nearly concluded negotiations on controlled tourism concessions in the TKNP, which will unlock the great potential of tourism in the //Kharas Region. Most importantly, the surrounding community’s contribution to the management of the park through the successfully created Tsau //Khaeb (Sperrgebiet) National Park stakeholder fora.

The last phase of Namibian Parks Programme (Phase V) will focus on the development of Namibia’s other coastal parks, namely Skeleton Coast Park, Dorob National Park, Cape Cross Seal Reserve and Namib Naukluft Park and surrounding areas.