Ministry of Environment

Government department managing Namibia's wildlife, national parks, tourism, and environmental initiatives including conservation and climate projects.

2026-01-292026-10-29

News reports

Order a long-term news report on Ministry of Environment

Every mention in the Namibian press over the period you choose, compiled as a PDF or Word document.

What’s been said

Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.

January 2026
29 JanInformanté
The ministry revealed entire bypass is expected to be completed by 26 February 2026
Source
“The ministry further revealed that the entire bypass is expected to be completed by 26 February 2026, at which point traffic will be fully redirected onto the bypass and the associated Salvadora detour route.”
Section of Okaukuejo–Namutoni Road to close temporarily from February

Tourism & Environment

Namibia records historic low in rhino poaching numbers

The News

Namibia recorded 43 rhinos poached in 2025, the lowest level in over a decade compared to 91 in 2024, with 24 poached so far in 2026, according to Environment Minister Indileni Daniel. She attributed the decline to the ministry's conservation strategies, though noted that international criminal syndicates and market demand for illegally obtained wildlife remain ongoing challenges.

29 September 2026 · Informanté →

Tuesday 29 September

Namibia records historic low in rhino poaching numbers
Namibia recorded 43 rhinos poached in 2025, the lowest level in over a decade compared to 91 in 2024, with 24 poached so far in 2026, according to Environment Minister Indileni Daniel. She attributed the decline to the ministry's conservation strategies, though noted that international criminal syndicates and market demand for illegally obtained wildlife remain ongoing challenges.
29 September 2026 · Informanté →

Wednesday 16 September

Etosha wildfires affect over 2,500 square kilometres
Preliminary assessments show approximately 2,587 square kilometres of land in Etosha National Park have been affected by wildfires that broke out last week. Despite three fires being extinguished by Monday, strong winds caused remaining fires to flare up again around the Halali area.
16 September 2026 · Informanté →

Monday 14 September

Three of four Etosha fires extinguished after lightning strikes
Firefighting efforts in Etosha National Park have successfully extinguished three of four wildfires sparked by lightning strikes on Wednesday, with the remaining fire under control. The fires affected areas around Halali, Kamaseb and Tsam, and no animal losses or injuries have been reported.
14 September 2026 · Informanté →

Sunday 13 September

Lightning-sparked wildfires burning in Etosha National Park
Wildfires have been burning in Etosha National Park since Wednesday after lightning strikes in the Halali area and Kamaseb and Tsam blocks. Firefighting teams are keeping the blaze under control with support from cutlines, and the ministry has reported no animal losses or injuries so far.
13 September 2026 · Informanté →

Friday 21 August

Government says San land claim against Etosha legally defective
The government has argued that a lawsuit filed by the Hai//om Association seeking N$2.8 trillion in compensation for San people's expulsion from ancestral land in Etosha National Park is legally unsound. The Hai//om Association contends its members were dispossessed through past racially discriminatory policies and seeks either land restitution or financial compensation, but government respondents argue the association lacks legal standing to represent the San community.
21 August 2026 · Informanté →

Thursday 13 August

Ministry targets tourism GDP contribution of N$18.5bn by 2030
The Ministry of Environment is targeting an increase in the tourism sector's contribution to Namibia's GDP to N$18.5 billion by 2030, up from N$14.3 billion in 2022. The Ministry also aims to boost tourist arrivals to 1.8 million and gaming revenue to N$76.5 million by the 2029/2030 financial year.
13 August 2026 · Informanté →

Friday 10 July

Environment ministry relocates Etosha wildlife to drought-affected areas
The Ministry of Environment has relocated wildlife from Etosha National Park to restore animal populations in drought-affected areas, including 256 springboks and 190 gemsboks to Kunene Region, 90 zebras to Nyae Nyae Conservancy, and 15 gemsboks and 24 zebras to Uukwaluudhi Conservancy. The ministry plans further translocations of gemsboks, giraffes, and impalas in coming months to restock species, provide prey for predators, and reduce human-wildlife conflicts.
10 July 2026 · Informanté →

Thursday 9 July

Namibia launches climate-funded project to advance green hydrogen
The Ministry of Environment has launched the GEF-UNIDO Namibia Child Project, a Global Environment Facility–funded initiative allocated USD 497,945 over five years to strengthen Namibia's green hydrogen sector and unlock greater access to international climate finance.
9 July 2026 · Informanté →

Tuesday 30 June

Namibia's international tourist arrivals decline by 3.2%
International tourist arrivals to Namibia fell 3.2% to 1,217,108 in 2025 from 1,257,093 in 2024, with the Environment Minister attributing the decline partly to safety concerns and crimes against tourists, particularly a 27.4% drop from Germany.
30 June 2026 · Informanté →

Wednesday 3 June

Osino Gold seeks environmental clearance for Khan River sand dam
Osino Gold Exploration and Mining is applying for an Environmental Clearance Certificate to build a sand storage dam with a capacity of approximately 125,000 cubic metres on the Khan River's Spes Bona Compartment in the Erongo Region, in collaboration with Namibia Water Corporation, to supply water for its Twin Hills Gold Project near Karibib.
3 June 2026 · Informanté →

Wednesday 22 April

Elephants damage farms across Kamanjab Constituency
Farms in Kunene Region's Kamanjab Constituency have sustained significant damage from wildlife, particularly elephants, which have destroyed water infrastructure, tanks, crops, and fencing. The Regional Councillor confirmed complaints from multiple farms and welcomed Ministry of Environment interventions to address elephant-related challenges in the region.
22 April 2026 · Informanté →

Thursday 2 April

Opinion: Transparency, consultation needed for Cape Fria project
A member of the Kakurukouye Traditional Authority welcomes the potential benefits of the Cape Fria smart city development but raises concerns about the project's realism, the involvement of external actors, and the lack of visible alignment between government and traditional leadership. The author calls for greater transparency, community involvement, and government oversight to ensure the project genuinely serves local interests rather than repeating patterns of land loss through modern "psychological colonialism."
2 April 2026 · New Era →

Thursday 29 January

Okaukuejo–Namutoni Road section closes February for upgrades
The Ministry of Environment will temporarily close a section of the Okaukuejo–Namutoni Road from 1 February 2026 to upgrade gravel roads to sealed roads. Visitors will be directed via the Gemsbokvlakte detour and a newly constructed bypass until the entire project is completed by 26 February 2026.
29 January 2026 · Informanté →