2006 Speeches

Tropical Forest Conservation Agreements with Minister of Finance and Development Cooperation, Hon. Baledzi Gaolathe,

October 5, 2006

REMARKS BY U.S. AMBASSADOR KATHERINE CANAVAN

On the occasion of the signing of the Tropical Forest Conservation Agreements with Minister of Finance and Development Cooperation, Hon. Baledzi Gaolathe,
Thursday, October 5, 2006, noon
Ministry of Finance and Development Planning

Honorable Minister Gaolathe, ladies and gentlemen,

In the week following Botswana’s fortieth anniversary of independence, it seems entirely appropriate to carry out this pleasant task of signing, on behalf of my government, the agreements here which confirm Botswana’s good management of natural resources and will add funding to enhance that management.

With the signing, Botswana becomes the first country on the African continent to sign such an Agreement with the U.S. In 1998, the U.S. Government created the Tropical Forest Conservation Act (TFCA), because we realized that rapid deforestation and forest degradation are serious problems in many regions of the world. At the same time, we recognized that external debt creates economic constraints for many countries’ governments. Those constraints can lead to neglect of or over-exploitation of natural resources. So the TFCA links waiving debts with utilizing the funds for conservation.

It is a measure of Botswana’s good governance and fiscal responsibility that the debt—some seven million U.S. dollars, incurred during the days when Botswana received direct development loans and assistance-- can now be converted into a fund to support the conservation and sustainable community use of woodlands and riverine forests over the next ten years. I don’t have to tell you about Botswana’s unique biodiversity and how this is not only important for the world, but for the country’s economy in terms of tourism.

But we hope that these agreements have an effect that goes beyond Botswana. Environmental issues are trans-border issues. Regional cooperation in the management of the environment is essential if we are to sustain these resources not just for ourselves, but for our children and the generations to come. We know that Botswana’s international reputation is high, and we know that it will lead by example, and take an active management role in the region.

This past April, I was delighted to join USAID in signing a grant agreement with the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) to improve the management of selected shared river basins and protect the biodiversity in the southern African region. This agreement will provide as much as six and a half million dollars through 2008 in support of these activities.

We are delighted to be partners with Botswana and with SADC in conservation activities and in sustainable development in the region. Today’s agreements are another significant step to that goal.

I thank you.