The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism (MEFT) has expressed satisfaction with the establishment and the progress made in adjudicating cases thanks to its first-of-its-kind specialized Environmental Crimes Court (ECC) in Otjiwarongo, Ministerial spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda in a statement highlighted the collaborative effort between the Office of the Prosecutor General, the Ministry of Justice, and the Judiciary in establishing the ECC. "Fortunately, non-governmental organizations and funding partners responded positively and enthusiastically to the idea as it presented a crucial activity to assist in clearing the backlog of existing cases while expediting new cases," he noted. Muyunda said the ECC is a key component of Namibia's National Wildlife Protection Strategy, to expedite the handling of wildlife crime cases, which, according to Muyunda, will contribute significantly to crime prevention. The court officially began operations in January, following its inauguration by Namibia's Vice president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah in August 2024. While the court has already heard several cases, staff are currently focused on establishing a court roll and transferring relevant cases from other courts within its jurisdiction. "We are indeed excited with the establishment of the ECC which demonstrates the Namibian Government's commitment to safeguarding the country's wildlife and natural environment through a partnership approach to the investigation and prosecution of environmental and wildlife crime," he said. Muyunda further said that the Ministry is equally pleased with the progress in the implementation of special wildlife courts across the country. In 2024, special wildlife courts were held in Oshakati, Rundu, and Katima Mulilo respectively to deal with a combined total of 181 cases on their court roll of which 102 were finalized, he said.