The population of black rhinos declined dramatically in the 20th century at the hands of European hunters and settlers. Between 1960 and 1995, black rhino numbers dropped by a sobering 98%, to less than 2,500 individuals. Since then, the species has made a tremendous comeback from the brink of extinction. Thanks to persistent conservation efforts …
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Windhoek – Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya visited Namibia from July 21-24 where she met with senior government officials, civil society, and young leaders to discuss joint efforts to address global issues, strengthen democracy, fight human trafficking, assist refugees, and promote regional security. She met with President Geingob to …
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Windhoek – Today, the Namibian Revenue Authority officially launched the Container Control Programme at Walvis Bay Port. The program will improve the port’s ability to interdict illegally smuggled goods, including wildlife and forest products. The United States government is funding the US$720,000 program, which the UN’s Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) will implement with the Walvis …
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Windhoek – A delegation of six Congressmembers from the U.S. House of Representatives met today with President Geingob to encourage U.S.-Namibia partnership on global health, security, bilateral trade, climate change, racial justice, and other priorities that the two democracies share. The delegation is led by Congressmember Karen Bass of California, who is the Chair of the House …
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During a first of its kind cooperation between U.S. Law Enforcement and the Namibian Police (Nampol), four suspected pangolin traffickers were arrested on July 21 in Namibia. Time-sensitive information received by the Homeland Security Investigations office in Pretoria relating to an imminent dealing by criminals in the illegal sale of a live pangolin was passed …
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Windhoek – The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) handed over on May 18 two Toyota Land Cruisers to the Namibian Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT). One of the vehicles will be based at the Waterberg Law Enforcement Training Centre where it will be used for training purposes. The other vehicle will be used …
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Windhoek – From January 27-31, 2020 the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) in partnership with the U.S. Department of State, conducted a Wildlife Trafficking Cybercrime Training Program (WTCP) in Windhoek, Namibia. The purpose of the training is to strengthen global law enforcement relationships through the sharing of information related to the collection-preservation-examination-investigation of digital …
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Windhoek – United States Ambassador Lisa Johnson handed over two Toyota Land Cruisers to the project “Combating Wildlife Trafficking in Namibia”, a project managed by the Namibia Nature Foundation (NNF). One vehicle will be used by NNF in the Windhoek area and the other by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism in Kunene. The project …
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Khorixas – In celebration of World Rhino Day, U.S. Ambassador Lisa Johnson joined the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism and the World Wildlife Fund to call for protection of Namibia’s rhinoceros population. “Together, we must save Namibia’s rhinos from illegal poaching,” she said in Khorixas at a ceremony to mark Rhino Day, which occurs …
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I am very happy to be here today with you all to celebrate World Rhino Day. Many of you here are those who are responsible for protecting Namibia’s natural resources, including its rhinos, and you are to be congratulated on the Kunene region’s remarkable success in doing so in recent years. Wildlife trafficking is a …
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Thank you for inviting me to join you here today. Please allow me to begin by acknowledging the important work you all do to safeguard the rule of law across southern Africa and to recognize its linkage to the global wildlife context. Illegal wildlife trade and other forms of transnational organized crime are a critical …
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Windhoek – The U.S. Embassy provided the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism N$6.8 million of equipment funded through the U.S. Foreign Military Financing Program (FMFP) for biodiversity to be used in Namibia’s anti-poaching efforts. These 65 pairs of low-light binoculars are the first items to be delivered. Other items arriving over the next couple …
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Background information for the implementation of the ICCWC Toolkit and ICCWC Indicator Framework in Namibia (PDF 335 KB) Good morning! I am happy to be a part of this launch of a new project that will help Namibia in its strong efforts to fight wildlife crime. Under the leadership of the Honorable Minister of Environment and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, and through collaboration with police, prosecutors, magistrates, the ACC, NGOs, and communities, Namibia is …
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Thank you for allowing me to join you today. In thinking about what you will discuss and learn at this workshop, I thought it would be helpful for me to connect what you do on the local level here to the wider global context. Wildlife crime is pushing some of the world’s most emblematic species …
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Waterberg Anti-Poaching Training Center Thanks to the leadership of the Honorable Minister of Environment and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta, Namibia continues to be a model for conservation in the region. Namibia has had great success in combating poaching in recent years, including through the highly successful community-based conservation program, the rhino custodian program, and other collaborative …
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Windhoek – The U.S. Embassy Regional Security Office recently accompanied the Regional U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Attaché and an experienced FWS Investigator on a speaker program in the North of Namibia focused on Wildlife Trafficking Investigations. The target audience was Namibian Police Force (NAMPOL) officers stationed at regional headquarters in Kamanjab, Rundu, and …
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Ambassador Thomas F. Daughton announcement of the INL Combating Wildlife Trafficking Grant Namibia is a country known around the world for its natural beauty and diverse wildlife. Tourists flock here by the thousands every year for a chance to see rhinos, cheetahs and elephants roaming wild and free in the Land of the Brave. Namibia is …
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The Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Daniel M. Ashe, met with the Minister of Environment and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta on October 12 in Windhoek. The two discussed wildlife conservation and anti-poaching efforts in Namibia with a focus on Namibia’s community conservancy model. During his visit, Director Ashe visited Namibia’s Etosha National Park, …
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U.S. Ambassador Thomas F. Daughton remarks for Opening the Second Regional Workshop for Prosecutors and Magistrates on Combating Wildlife Trafficking Good morning. It is a pleasure to welcome you to Windhoek and to this second workshop on Combating Wildlife Trafficking Crime. The U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the United Nations Office on Drugs …
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