Instead facilitate legal, traceable and sustainable trade
Minister of Environment and Tourism, Wynter Mmolotsi has called upon the Conference of the Parties (COP) to eschew restrictive decisions on species trade which overlook benefits to Indigenous People and Local Communities (IPLCs).
The minister was speaking in Samarkand, Uzbekistan for a High-Level Dialogue titled “Elevating the Strategic Impact of CITES CoP20: From Policy to Practice – Monitoring, Funding, and Action for Regulated Wildlife Trade.”
Mmolotsi also urged the Conference of the Parties to facilitate legal, traceable and sustainable trade.
The minister indicated that consumptive and non-consumptive wildlife utilisation in Botswana continue to co-exist and viewed as complementary as government strive to grow the economy and empower rural communities.
“The government of Botswana has embarked upon an ambitious transformation drive to diversify our economy through the development of the bieconomy. Our natural resources provide a solid base upon which we can achieve this objective,” Mmolotsi emphasized.
Organized by the Government of Uzbekistan, in partnership with the CITES Secretariat and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the dialogue set the stage for the 20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP20), held in Samarkand from 24 November to 5 December 2025.
The High-Level Dialogue brought together ministers and senior representatives from Central Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and beyond to strengthen the links between policy and practice in the governance of international wildlife trade. It also sought to promote innovative financing solutions, and highlight successful regional and global approaches to species conservation, all of which have the potential to drive bolder and stronger outcomes from CITES CoP20.
Mmolotsi has noted that amid the global economic challenges across world, it is imperative that new revenue streams are identified to achieve national objectives and to secure biodiversity for future generations.
He noted that government continues to allocate substantial financial resources to protect the country’s biodiversity and to caution its people against the pernicious effects of climate change, land degradation and pollution.
Mmolotsi highlighted that, “Botswana recently hosted the first African Biodiversity Summit which aimed to provide political direction and support for Africa’s biodiversity priorities. It also sought to enhance partnership for effective implementation for continental and international biodiversity frameworks and mobilise financial and technical resources to support biodiversity conservation.”
He added that the Gaborone Declaration on Biodiversity calls on Africa to significantly increase domestic finance and mobilize international financing for biodiversity as an investment to economies and well-being. “African nations also agreed to explore innovative mechanisms such as debt for nature swaps, conservation bonds, and payments for ecosystem services including wildlife credits to mobilise new investment and reward communities that conserve biodiversity.”
Meanwhile, the minister has indicated that government is working with the private sector to develop a National Carbon Market Framework supported by the World Bank and GIZ. The initiative according to him, aims to position Botswana as a credible participant in global carbon economy, leveraging its forest, grassland, and wetlands to drive investment, create jobs, and empower communities.
Further, he added that government in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme through the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), has commenced the development of a comprehensive Protected Areas Resource Mobilisation Strategy and Partnerships Plan.
“This initiative represents a bold and forward-looking response to the financial constraints that continue to challenge the effective management of our protected areas,” concluded the minister.
