IUCN Botswana is the Country Office for IUCN - The World Conservation Union.
IUCN - The World Conservation Union www.iucn.org was created in 1948 with a membership of some 149 countries, which includes 82 states, 111 government agencies and more than 800 non-governmental organizations (NGOs). It has some 10 000 internationally recognized scientists and experts from more than 181 countries volunteering their services to its six global commissions.
The Mission of IUCN is to "influence, encourage and assist societies throughout
the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature
and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable
and ecologically sustainable".
IUCN's activities are designed to respond to development
and conservation issues defined by the members, commissions
and partners of IUCN at the global, regional and national
As an international environmental network IUCN has build
a strong expertise in information dissemination, documentation,
establishing dialogue and building partnerships between Governments,
NGOs, the private sector and other actors involved in natural
resources conservation and sustainable use. For more general
IUCN has 4 regional offices in Africa and IUCN Botswana Office falls within the IUCN Regional Office for Southern Africa (IUCN ROSA), which works closely with the 57 members in the region.
Visit the IUCN Regional Office for Southern Africa Website
for specific information on work in Southern Africa.
IUCN IN BOTSWANA
IUCN has been operating in Botswana since 1984, when IUCN
was invited to assist the Government in the preparation of
the Botswana National Conservation Strategy. The IUCN Botswana
Office was established in 1991. Since then, the IUCN Botswana
Programme has been involved in drafting environmental policies,
strategies and legislation; formulating management plans;
identifying the environmental interests and needs of the business
sector; as well as providing support and capacity building
to NGOs and CBOs in the country.
Botswana is the partner that:
Facilitates multistakeholder cooperation to bring together experts, government departments, IUCN members, private sector and other institutions in innovative alliances.
Mobilises financial resources for environmental management.
Advocates environmental policy with an adaptive approach, and ensures strategic planning and action through effective governance.
Generates and disseminates knowledge on biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management.
Builds the capacity in the region to empower communities to achieve improved environmental management.
Hosts the Chair of the Commission on Ecosystem Management and the regional Chair of the Commission on Environmental Education.