The Namibian National Biodiversity Programme (NBP) was officially set up in 1994 and housed in the Directorate of Environmental Affairs (DEA) in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET). Today, a small number of 'secretarial' staff coordinates the activities under the programme, overseen by the Head of the 'International Environmental Conventions Unit'. The Head of the Unit serves as Namibian National Focal Point to each of the Rio Conventions (Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Director of the DEA is the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Focal Point. A multi-stakeholder National Biodiversity Task Force (BDTF) was formed in 1995 and expanded during the late 1990's. The Task Force involved eight ministries and 15 departments within those ministries, two tertiary education institutions, parastatals and the private sector, as well as 10 NGOs and Unions. The 20 thematic working groups under the programme were housed in various ministries and other institutions (see Box 1). Chairmanship was, wherever possible, assumed by the competent authority, government or scientific institution, in that field. Currently the BDTF is no longer active in its initial form as only little coordination support can be provided by DEA. However, a number of working groups have developed their 'own initiative' and now operate independently. The programme has a number of on-going projects at the national level, and is partner in several regional projects.