The recommendation was made on Thursday following the conclusion of Maun meeting. The Gaborone Declaration for Sustainability in Africa originated from the 2012 Summit for Sustainability in Africa, held in Gaborone. At this summit 10 founding GDSA countries reaffirmed their commitment to implement all conventions and declarations that promote sustainable development. By adopting GDSA, countries committed to a model that takes into account the role of natural resources in their development.
From October 11-13, GDSA ministers’ conference was hosted at Cresta in Maun, which amongst others, charted the new strategy that will run the GDSA for the next five years. It also discussed issues of GDSA governance structure, membership guidelines and debated financial sustainability issues surrounding the secretariat. TThe conference agreed that the secretariat should continue operating under its current form until its legal status is determined. It was further recommended that it was important for the GDSA to seek financial sustainability with signatory countries encouraged to provide voluntary contributions in cash or kind. Officially opening the meeting on Wednesday, Minister of Environment, Natural Resources, Conservation and Tourism, Tshekedi Khama said he will request Cabinet to approve more than P10 million to support GDSA over the next five years. Minister Khama noted: “government of Botswana will review its conservation funding components towards availing further funding for GDSA activities”. Further, the minister explained that: “as a country, we further undertake to engage our private sector to participate in implementing the declaration and in funding the initiatives under the GDSA”.
