Government notices of interest to the Okavango Community

From the Botswana Government Gazette, Vol. XLIX, no. 27, 13 May, 2011- Application for water rights:

Botswana Meat Commission - river draw off Thamalakane River at Maun( North West District)-200m3 per day for abattoir use; P.M. Haidongo -river draw off Okavango River at Mohembo (North West District) - 120 m3 per day for irrigation use; T.Lekolwane -river draw off Okavango River at Wabi (North West District)-120 m3 per day for irrigation use.

From the Botswana Government Gazette, Vol. XLIX, no. 29, 20 May, 2011- Application for water rights

N.N. Bangale - river draw off Shashe River at Mathangwane( Central District)-120m3 per day for irrigation use; B.Lelathego -open well at Nakalatswee (North West District) - 18.2 m3 per day for domestic use.

Tender announcements and documents may also be found on the Government of Botswana web site. The entire issue of the Government Gazette may be read in ORI Library

The Southern African Quadrant Jeopardy: Interlinkages between Culture, GBV, HIV and Women's Rights

This position paper articulates the stance of civil society and communities on the inter-linkages between culture, gender-based violence (GBV), HIV, and women's rights. It looks at current interventions to address the problem, and offers recommendations for states, custodians of culture, civil society organizations, policy makers, and media organizations. According to the discussions, the drivers of the HIV epidemic in southern Africa do not lie only in gender inequalities, but also in the sociocultural, economic, and political contexts of the countries in the region, which form a sharp backdrop against which the increased vulnerability of women to HIV infection must be viewed. For more details go to: http://www.safaids.net/files/SAfAIDS_GBV_position_paper.pdf

Report indicates economic gains but decline in rule of law in Africa

The Ibrahim Index of African Governance has just been released a report on the discrepancies among African nations in the area of governance and economic development. In addition, the report shows that while African countries have made significant strides in economic and human development they have fallen behind in human rights and rule of law. Some of the main findings include:
•The Index shows big differences in governance among Africa’s 53 countries. The best countries (the five countries with scores over 70) are on a different plane from the worst (the 11 countries under 40). The highest scoring country, Mauritius, had a score of 82 with Somalia at the bottom with a score of 8.
•While, over 40 countries have seen some form of improvement in both Sustainable Economic Opportunity and Human Development, 35 African states have declined in the Safety and Rule of Law category and 30 have experienced a downturn in the Participation and Human Rights area.

Government notices of interest to the Okavango community

From the Botswana Government Gazette, Vol. XLVIII, no. 1, 8th January 2010
Republic of Botswana : Tender: Consultancy services for the systematic water quality monitoring of the Okavango Delta: Tender No. PR 10/3/1/09 (1)

North West District Council: Okavango Sub-district Council :Tender: Gravelling of 2km on Gumare internal road and 2 km on Nokaneng Internal Roads : Tender No. NW/OK/RD/02/2009

North West District Council: Okavango Sub-District Council: Tender: Dry grading, spot improvement and sand cushioning of 30km on Nokaneng-Qangwa-Xaixai Road: Tender No: NW/OK/RDS/03/2009

North West District Council: Okavango Sub-District Council: Tender: Dry grading, spot improvement and sand cushioning of 20km on Nxamasere-Tsodilo-Chukumuchu Road: Tender No: NW/OK/RDS/04`/2009

North West District Council: Okavango Sub-District Council: Tender: Dry grading, spot improvement and sand cushioning of 10km on Mohembo-Gani Road: Tender No: NW/OK/RDS/05/2009

Tender announcements and documents may also be found on the Government of Botswana web site. The entire issue of the Government Gazette may be read in HOORC’s Library

Government notices of interest to the Okavango Community

From the Botswana Government Gazette, Vol. XLVII, no. 70, 11 December 2009

Republic of Botswana: Ministry of Local Government Tender-Development of a strategic plan Tender No:MTC/08/05/34-2009/10

Republic of Botswana: Directorate of Public Service Management Tender: Provision of consultancy services for the development of a statement of user requirements (SOUR) for DPSM Records Management Unit (RMU) Republic of Botswana Ministry of Finance and Development Planning Tender Consultancy on the training needs analysis Tender FDP/TC/1/9/09-10

From the Botswana Government Gazette, Vol. XLVII, no. 70, 18 December 2009

Republic of Botswana: Environmental Affairs Tender-Conducting a strategic environmental assessment for the Makgadikgadi Framework Management Plan (MFMP) Tender No.MTC-DEA2000/6/2 1 (6) 2009/10

Republic of Botswana Ministry of Education and Skills Development-Education Hub Tender- Consultancy to prepare project profiles Tender No:MOE/MTC/HQ/4206/09-10

Tender announcements and documents may also be found on the Government of Botswana web site. The entire issue of the Government Gazette may be read in HOORC’s Library.

Laws of Botswana Online

The Attorney General's Office of the Republic of Botswana has launched a website on Laws of Botswana up to December 2008. Included on the page are the Laws Index, new legislation which contains tables of Bills Acts and statutory Instruments. For more on this you can visit the website on http://www.laws.gov.bw/

Measuring Nature’s Benefits: A Preliminary Roadmap for Improving Ecosystem Service Indicators

The document compiles and assesses current ecosystems services indicators in order to inform and advance such efforts. According to the World Resources Institute, ecosystem services are the benefits that people derive from nature. Some benefits, such as crops, fish, and freshwater (provisioning services), are tangible. Others such as pollination, erosion regulation, climate regulation (regulating services) and aesthetic and spiritual fulfillment (cultural services) are less tangible. All, however, directly or indirectly underpin human economies and livelihoods). See
http://pdf.wri.org/measuring_natures_benefits.pdf for full details.

Government notices of interest to the Okavango community

From the Botswana Government Gazette, Vol. XLVII, no. 52, 18 September 2009:
Republic of Botswana: Tender: Department of Energy-Consultancy services for environmental impact assessment for road, rail infrastructures and electrical power, water and telecommunications utility services to the new government petroleum strategic storage depost sites-Tshele Hills and Palapye. Tender No. MTC/MMEWR/EAD/1/16/09-10

Republic of Botswana: Tender: Energy Affairs Division-Consultancy services for energy audit of hotel industry. Tender No. MTC/MMEWR/EAD/1/24/09-10

From the Botswana Government Gazette, Vol. XLVII, no. 53, 25 September 2009: Tender: Department of Roads, Maintenance Region West- Reseal and road marking of Tsau-Nokaneng Roads Section 2: Tender No: PR 9/5/3/09 (X)

Republic of Botswana: Department of Roads, Maintenance Region West: Tender: Reseal and road marking of Etsha 13-Ikoja Junction: Tender No: PR 9/5/3/09 (XIII)

Tender announcements and documents may also be found on the Government of Botswana web site. The entire issue of the Government Gazette may be read in HOORC’s Library.

Government notices of interest to the Okavango Community

From the Botswana Government Gazette, Vol. XLVII, no. 42 31st
July, 2009

Tender: North West District Council-Gravelling of 2km on Nokaneng internal roads and gravelling of 2km on Gumare internal roads. Tender No. NW/OK/RDS/01/2009

Tender: North West District Council-Gravelling of 2km on Nxamasere internal roads . Tender No. NW/OK/RDS/02/2009

Tender: North West District Council-Dry-grading, sand cushioning and spot improvement of 30km on Nokaneng-Qangwa Xaixai Road.Tender No. NW/OK/RDS/04/2009

Tender: North West District Council-Dry-grading, sand cushioning and spot improvement of 10km on Mohembo-Gani Road. Tender No. NW/OK/RDS/05/2009


Tender announcements and documents may also be found on the Government of Botswana web site. The entire issue of the Government Gazette may be read in HOORC’s Library.

Biodiversity resources

Latest posts about useful biodiversity resources on the IISD Linkages site include announcement of:

The Green Customs Guide to Multilateral Environmental Agreements -- a resource for customs and other border control officers to assist in monitoring and facilitating detection and prevention of illegal trade in environmentally sensitive commodities such as ozone depleting substances, toxic chemicals, hazardous waste, endangered species and living modified organisms.

The Liaison Group of Biodiversity-related Conventions' interactive CD-ROM about the applications of the Addis Ababa Principles and Guidelines (AAPG) for the Sustainable Use of Biodiversity, explaining the AAPG and their relevance in the context of each of the biodiversity related conventions. In addition to providing information on the applications of the AAPG, the CD contains the full text of the principles and guidelines, relevant decisions, recommendations and resolutions, background documents, as well as other materials, including links to relevant websites.

A new paper in the FAO's Legal Papers series, Principles For Developing Sustainable Wildlife Management Laws.

You can find all the resources online.

Government notices of interest to the Okavango community

From the Botswana Government Gazette, Vol. XLVI, no. 66, 21 October 2008

Supplement B: Public Service Bill 2008, Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (Transition) Bill, 2008, Electoral (Amendment) Bill, 2008, Architects’ Registration Bill, 2008, Media Practitioners Bill, 2008, Veterinary Surgeons Bill, 2008, Engineers Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2008, Civil Aviation Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2008
235-311

From the Botswana Government Gazette, Vol. XLVI, no. 67, 24 October 2008

Road Transport Permits Act, Road Transport (Permits) Regulations: application for road transport permits “P” permits for mobile safaris, Maun: Calypso Agencies, Shifting Sands, Tranction Safaris, Danielle Investment, Mosu Safari Tours, Malachite Safaris. Wilderness Dawning Pty., Drifters Safaris.
5405
Republic of Botswana: Tender: Supply of an amphibious vehicle for the Okavango Water Quality Management Project
5438
North West District Council: Tender: Works contract for consultancy services for the provision of project management and construction supervision of Shakawe raw water intake structure and treatment plant upgrading
5506

Tender announcements and documents may also be found on the Government of Botswana web site. The entire issue of the Government Gazette may be read in HOORC’s Library.

New in HOORC's Library: Fish Protection Regulations

A copy of Botswana's new fisheries regulations has arrived in HOORC's Library. Statutory Instrument no. 41 of 2008, the Fish protection regulations, 2008 sets out for the first time detailed instructions for both commercial and recreational fishing under Botswana's Fish Protection Act. Included are regulations related to licensing, restriction of gillnet size, importation and sale, open seasons, appeals, fishing competitions, land owners, night fishing, and prohibited practices -- including movement of fish from one body of water to another. You can find the document in HOORC's Library.

New in HOORC's Library: Natural Resources and Conflict in Africa

Natural resources and conflict in Africa : the tragedy of endowment by Abiodun Alao, published by the University of Rochester Press in 2007, looks at the ways that ownership, management and control of land, minerals, water and other natural resources have been linked to conflicts in Africa. Chapter Six: Water and Conflict, includes discussion of the Okavango and other southern African river basins. You can find the book in HOORC's Library.

Namibian land rights registration

AllAfrica.com recently included a story from the New Era that reports an extension of the deadline for registration of claims in Namibia under the Communal Land Reform Act. The law provides for registration and recognition of customary land rights, including the right to a farming unit, residential unit and other forms of customary tenure. The story says that two thousand customary land rights have been approved since March 2003, when applications for registration and recognition of existing customary land rights began. Kavango region has 40000 estimated rights and 4500 pending applications. Two new projects proposed for registration of customary land rights are Oshikuku in Omusati and Sibbinda in Caprivi region. Oshikuku and Sibbinda have approximately 1000 and 2000 households respectively. In HOORC's Library you can find The politics of land reform in Africa : from communal tenure to free markets by Ambreena Manji.

Socio-economic conditions in the Okavango Delta

Recently published as Number 6 in HOORC's Okavango Report Series is the Socio-economic survey of subsistence fishing in the Okavango Delta, Botswana by HOORC researchers Barbara Ngwenya and Keta Mosepele. The report argues for development of a national fisheries policy that could support and safeguard traditional basket fishing as an important livelihood activity in the Delta. Dr Ngwenya also joined HOORC researchers Joseph Mbaiwa and Donald Kgathi in writing Contending with unequal and privileged access to natural resources and land in the Okavango Delta, Botswana, recently published in the Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography. The article looks at how state policy and regulatory instruments have altered traditional access to land and resources in the Okavango Delta. You can find both publications in HOORC's Library.

Transboundary aquifer resources meeting

IISD Linkages has reported on the Third International Conference on Managing Shared Aquifer Resources in Africa, which took place in Tripoli, Libya, from 25-27 May 2008, where an overview of the 38 Transboundary Aquifer Systems in Africa, prepared by the International Hydrological Programme of UNESCO, the Global Environmental Facility’s International Waters Programme and various universities, served as the basis for discussion. Participants heard a presentation about the set of draft articles on the Law of Transboundary Aquifers, and took note of the relevance of this international law instrument for the African continent. Also during the conference, the Centre on Transboundary Aquifer Resources Management in Africa and the Arab States was launched by the Libyan Government in Tripoli under the auspices of UNESCO.