The Namibia Coast Conservation and Management project (NACOMA) kicked off in Swakopmund last Friday with Prime Minister Nahas Angula. It is funded with US$ 4.9 million (approx. N$30 million) from the Global Environment Facility of the UN, assisted by the World Bank. Another N$ 7,5 million is coming from the Namibian government. NACOMA runs under the auspices of the environment ministry and will last 5 years. Timo Mufeti is the project coordinator. Its envisaged protection and integrated conservation plans to cover the entire 1,500 long coastline from the Kunene River mouth to the Orange River Delta in the south, beaches, wetlands, and lagoons.

"Namibia’s coastal region is home to two important areas, the Namib Desert and the Succulent Karoo, which are home to a large number of highly adapted endemic species", according to tourism and environment minister Willem Konjore.

"NACOMA will support the coastal towns to develop local environment policies which are linked to and are integrated into regional and national policies", he added. The project entails drafting a White Paper on coastal management in Namibia, assisted by the World Bank, which has already supported Namibia to compile its Integrated Community-Based Ecosystem Management Project (ICEMA) in 2004. "The World Bank’s environmental dialogue with Namibia was established a number of years ago", said Ritva Reinikka, country director for the World Bank, "it has since become an important component of the World Bank’s overall country programme with Namibia".

The tourism industry in Namibia is the third largest economic sector after mining and fishing and contributes seven percent to the GDP according to the latest annual report of the Bank of Namibia. Tourism contributed N$2,7 billion to the economy in 2004 and employs approximately 54,000 people.