Okavango Delta Management Plan - Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The ODMP project has been an exciting yet challenging endeavor which trialed and tested,
on the ground, key environmental management principles. These included the ecosystem
approach, participatory planning, integrated management, database management,
hydrological modeling, economic valuation, scenario planning, feedback mechanisms,
piloting and joint planning, to mention a few. It was indeed a planning adventure which
challenged the institutional set-up and the individual planners’ mental disposition to
operate and think beyond the box.
The Department of Environmental Affairs could not have achieved this milestone without
the support and participation of a number of stakeholders and partners. Some of the
notable ones being the departments of Water Affairs, Wildlife and National Parks, Tourism,
Forestry and Range Resources, Animal Health and Production, Town and Regional
<strong>Plan</strong>ning, and authorities in the district, namely, North West District Council, District
Administration, Tribal Administration and Tawana Land Board. On the same note
acknowledgements go to the NGOs and CBOs in the district as well as other national bodies
for their tremendous support.
The University of Botswana Harry Oppenheimer <strong>Okavango</strong> Research Centre played a pivotal
role throughout the ODMP process, first during the design of the project, through to the
development of the plan where its staff was assigned to various components and activities
to technically guide the process. The HOORC has committed itself to give technical
guidance during the implementation of the plan.
MEWT would also want to extend their appreciation to the enthusiasm and level of
participation by the tourism private sector in shaping the plan and making specific
commitments to support the monitoring and research activities during the implementation
of the ODMP. Dikgosi (Chiefs) of all settlements within the <strong>Ramsar</strong> site deserve special
recognition for the high level of support in encouraging and ensuring that their merafe
contribute in all ways possible during the preparation of the plan. There is no doubt that
what is contained in the plan is a reflection of societal needs and aspirations.
To the upstream riparian states of Angola and Namibia, the Government of Botswana
wishes to extend her sincere gratitude for the endorsement of the ODMP process through
the Permanent <strong>Okavango</strong> River Basin Commission (OKACOM). This was a demonstration
that within the region joint management of shared resources is possible and achievable.
The <strong>Okavango</strong> <strong>Delta</strong> is enjoying international protection through the <strong>Convention</strong> on
Wetlands of International Importance commonly known as the <strong>Ramsar</strong> <strong>Convention</strong>. It was
the <strong>Ramsar</strong> Secretariat which provided seed funding for the design of the ODMP.
MEWT would like to acknowledge the financial and technical support it received from the
Governments of the Kingdom of Denmark through the Danish Development Agency
(DANIDA), Germany through the German Development Service (DED), the Kingdom of
Sweden through the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and The World
Conservation Union (IUCN). Without their support the project would not have been as
successful as it was.
Lastly the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism would like to thank all those who
contributed, but may have been inadvertently not mentioned.
Thank you