A coalition of Western NGOs—World Animal News, Peace 4 Animals, Born Free USA, and Born Free Foundation—has recently criticized Namibia and Zimbabwe for their policies on culling elephants and other wildlife. Both countries have defended these policies as necessary measures to address the effects of drought, feed vulnerable populations, and manage the escalating human-wildlife conflict. Yet, these NGOs argue the policies undermine conservation and disregard animal welfare.
Critics of the Western stance view it as a form of neo-colonialism, with African leaders stressing that these NGOs are disregarding Africa’s sovereignty and its unique challenges in wildlife management. In nations like Zimbabwe and Namibia, where human-wildlife conflict frequently leads to loss of life and crops, government intervention is crucial for the protection of local communities. Former Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi voiced this sentiment, stating that foreign organizations tend to focus on “elephant issues as if there are no people in Botswana.”
Namibia, which faces an upcoming election in November, sees these NGOs’ interference as an attempt to discredit its ruling SWAPO party. However, African governments argue that decisions about wildlife management should be left to the people and leaders of each country, not dictated by foreign organizations. Furthermore, there is concern over the misuse of international conventions, such as CITES, which restricts African nations from benefiting economically from their wildlife resources through trade, like ivory sales. For African leaders and citizens, the right to manage their resources independently is essential to both conservation and development efforts.
