Key to Acronyms

CAs - Conservancies Association

DSS - Directorate of Scientific Services

DPW - Directorate of Parks and Wildlife

DVS - Directorate of Veterinary Services

DWNP -- Department of Wildlife and National Parks

DAHP - Department of Animal Health and Production

 

 

The diagramme assumes that primary stakeholders participate at the international level.

Murphree's 'Principle of Jurisdictional Parsimony' has been applied insofar as the organisation consists only of primary stakeholders and only involves two levels. A third level (not shown in the diagram) is the individual membership of each conservancy in Namibia and each community area management organisation in Botswana.

In Namibia, the individual conservancies in the Caprivi delegate limited powers upwards to an 'Association' which will represent them at the second level (CAs). This could be the existing Communal Lands Board for the region or an association created especially for this purpose. The arguments in favour of using the Communal Lands Board are that the interests of communities who have not formed conservancies would also be represented.

A similar association would need to be identified on the Botswana side of the border to represent the various areas under community wildlife management. This could be the relevant Land Board.

It could be argued that many more parties should participate in the final bilateral forum including more senior government representatives. In line with both governments' efforts to decentralise, it seems more logical that this forum be treated as a technical and advisory panel which reports back to the relevant ministries on matters which may require high level decisions. If the principles of delegation upwards and accountability downwards are adhered to, there is no reason why all of the representatives at the national level cannot report back their particular constituencies rather than overload the international forum with unnecessary numbers. Finally, if it is agreed between the two delegations, there is no reason why any observers who may contribute to the discussion are not invited to the forum.