2012 Expose Safari focuses on big cats in Botswana and throughout Africa

Travel Daily News: 2012 Expose Safari focuses on big cats in Botswana and throughout Africa
Wildlife conservation in Botswana and Southern Africa continues to grow, as evidenced by this year’s Expose Safari, led by Piper & Heath Travel owner Chris Liebenberg. An annual event designed to explore and promote unique African eco-tourism destinations and features, this year’s sold-out safari will focus on Big Cat Conservation. Inspired by the 2011 film release of “The Last Lions,” a documentary movie filmed exclusively in Botswana by legendary filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert, this year’s safari will expose trip participants to lion, cheetah, and leopard conservation efforts in Botswana and South Africa. The 10-day trip will include travel through Botswana’s Central Kalahari Game Reserve and Okavango Delta, where cheetah, black-maned Kalahari lions, and Duba lions can be found.

The safari, a not-for-profit trip, will be led by experts in the fields of travel and animal conservation, bringing to the participants an in-depth knowledge of the animals and exposing them to the successes and challenges of large carnivore conservation in Africa. Rebecca Klein, Founding Director of Cheetah Conservation Botswana, will join the trip as a subject matter expert. At each stop throughout the 2012 Expose trip, participants will be immersed in the culture, and will be encouraged to contribute travel diaries, video logs, and post-safari blog entries. Participants will therefore not only be at the forefront of this conservation tourism effort, but will also be helping to support and promote conscientious and sustainable travel.

While the 2012 Expose is already sold out, all materials from this trip will be made available in the months after the safari.

Botswana gvt replies on its Army Boss’ high praises of Robert Mugabe « National « ZimEye

ZimEye:

Below is the government’s full response to the news article:

1. The Sunday Standard Newspaper of Sunday 12th February 2012 carried a story entitled “The BDF Boss Slams the West, Praises Mugabe Regime’ in which it purported that the Commander of the Botswana Defence Force Lt Gen THC Masire had made statements attacking Mugabe critics, especially the Western countries, about Zimbabwe policies on governance, democracy and the Kimberly Process.

2. The Commander has indicated that his comments were confined to how the media in Africa and elsewhere has the tendency to misrepresent events or situations in Africa, including distorting the obvious and positive results such as the use of the diamonds for development and the Kimberly Process.

3. The Commander had travelled to Zimbabwe in the normal course of his duty as the Commander of the Botswana Defence Force and as the guest of his counterpart, the Commander of the Armed Forces of Zimbabwe. The visit was under the auspices of the Botswana/Zimbabwe Joint Permanent Commission to discuss matters of mutual interest relating to security, training and general cooperation between the two agencies in the interest of bilateral and regional peace and security. The cooperation between the two military organs in the two countries is exclusive of any political or business agenda. Therefore it would have been inappropriate for the Commander of the Botswana Defence Force to make any statement political or otherwise that would have been contrary to expressed opinions of the Government of Botswana.

4. Botswana has taken a proactive stand concerning Zimbabwe in a bid to compliment regional efforts aimed at helping Zimbabwe to return to democracy, economic prosperity, the rule of law and respect for human rights. Botswana wants Zimbabwe to assume her rightful place in the region and thus contribute to regional and international efforts towards achieving greater integration and economic prosperity.

5. Regrettably, the political situation in Zimbabwe has not improved sufficiently, despite repeated calls by the SADC Summits urging the Parties to the Global Political Agreement (GPA) to honour their commitments in order to ensure the full implementation of the Agreement. Such commitments include, among others, the drafting of a new Constitution and its adoption through a referendum. Botswana will thus continue to urge SADC to bring pressure to bear on the Parties to the GPA to honour their commitments.

6. As a country that largely depends on diamond revenues for economic development, Botswana continues to play a key role in the Kimberly Process, which serves as an important vehicle for protecting the diamond market against trading on illicit or conflict diamonds. Botswana continues to condemn any action taken by any country in violation of the Kimberly Process.

7. Botswana currently chairs the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Reform of the Kimberly Process. The United States of America has assumed the Chairmanship of the Kimberly Process, while South Africa serves as the Deputy Chairperson. Botswana fully supports the review of the Kimberly Process, which mainly aims at improving the functioning and working methods of the Kimberly Process.

8. With regard to Zimbabwe’s diamonds at Marange, there has been a divergent view on whether or not Zimbabwe should be allowed to join the Kimberly process in order to export them. Botswana subscribes to the compromise solution reached which allows Zimbabwe to export her diamonds, but only after they have been certified by two monitors, namely: Belgium and South Africa. The Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security reiterates that any statements that may have been made by the Commander of the Botswana Defence Force while in Zimbabwe do not change the Botswana position on the political situation in Zimbabwe.

Dagga turns up in backyard garden

Mmegi: "If they knew that I was in court, they would not be calling," Fani insisted, and the phone rang again. In the end, the magistrate pleaded with the accused to switch his mobile phone off. The case was postponed to Friday.

SA Air force pilot 'borrows' plane for Botswana visit

Times LIVE: A young SA Air Force pilot was earlier this week grounded pending the outcome of a commission of inquiry, after he 'borrowed' a plane to visit a friend in Botswana. He also allegedly stole a petrol card from 21 Squadron, the air force's VIP division, to fuel the plane for the trip, Beeld reported on Friday.

Botswana coach "has no national team" after CAN debut

BBC Sport: The indications are that there is an impasse in negotiations to extend his deal, with the coach reportedly demanding $13,000 a month - which is almost double what the association is offering him.

The coach said that several players had indicated they were quitting international football - hence he had no team to take to Egypt.

"Most of the senior players have said they are retiring from international football and as we speak we are not sure who is in and who is out," Tshosane said.

"So technically we have no team and we need to regroup and organise ourselves."

Mmegi Online :: Things fall apart

Mmegi Online:"The Leader of the Opposition must not only be a politician whose party has more numbers in parliament after the ruling party but also someone who is very well vested (sic) on opposition politics. When responding to the address in parliament, Ntuane was the only person who had the responsibility to affirm why the opposition is the alternative government to BDP by outlining the opposition's road map and presenting practical and realistic policies that are far much better than what Khama had proposed in his address. Ntuane's priorities and proposals were far-fetched from the realities that affect the nation as a whole and his performance during the deliberations was lacklustre and was uncharacteristic of a person of his calibre," said BCP Youth Secretary General, Seabelo Thekiso.

BMD youth chiefs quit en masse

Mmegi: “We have resigned from the committee on principle, that’s all I can say, for more you can contact Wynter Molotsi,” Dikgafela said yesterday.