Page 44 - Discover Botswana 25th Edition - 2025

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on the eastern Angolan highlands. The need to secure
permanent, sustainable protection for the Okavango Basin
is now urgent. It’s also critical we do this in a way that
supports sustainable livelihoods for local communities,
and celebrates the area’s natural heritage - including its
wildlife. Botswana and Angola tourism authorities should
work together, as they share this vital resource.
The Lisima Landscape should be recognised as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site, alongside the Okavango
Delta. Large-scale investments need to be made to support
trans-boundary conservation efforts that bring direct
benefits to upstream water users - the guardians of these
rivers. Development froze following four decades of armed
conflict and the lingering threat of landmines. Now, the
HALO Trust, a humanitarian landmine clearance NGO,
has been given $60 million by the Angolan government
to clear all landmines in south-eastern Angola. This is to
support tourism development and help establish wildlife
corridors that encourage thousands of elephants to
sustainably return to Angola without fear of landmines.
The eastern Angolan highlands and the tributaries of the
Okavango Delta used to be known as the “Terra do fim do
Mundo”, the “Land at the End of the Earth”, now they are
the “Terra do Futuro”, the “Land of the Future”, hopefully a
place where people, wildlife, biodiversity, and ecosystems
can thrive into the future.