Botswana registered fewer internally displaced people in 2023

Lebogang Mosikare | Tuesday November 26, 2024 12:32

The most recent data reflects a significant reduction in displacement numbers compared to peak years like 2014 and 2017. Internal displacement refers to the forced movement of people within the country they live in. Internally displaced people (IDP) are those who have been forced to flee their homes as a result of conflict, violence, or disasters and who haven't crossed an internationally recognised state border. The global figure continues to rise as more people flee each year, adding to the numbers of those who have been living in displacement for years or even decades and haven't yet achieved a durable solution, the report states. The report, which was carried out by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), the world’s leading source of data and analysis on internal displacement, reveald that the total number of IDPs at the end of 2023 due to conflict and violence in Botswana was zero.

This is because data shows that most displacements in the country are due to weather-related hazards, particularly floods and storms. Botswana has long been lauded as a symbol of stability, democracy, and peace in Africa unlike some of its neighbours such as Zimbabwe which is plagued by economic and political crises that are forcing millions of people to flee the country in search of better living conditions. Recently, Botswana experienced a significant political milestone when the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which has been in power for 58 years, conceded defeat to the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) headed by President Duma Boko. Political observers said the transition wasn't just a change of leadership but a profound testament to the strength of Botswana’s democratic institutions and the peaceful nature of its political culture. Furthermore, some of the IDPs were recorded in the Ghanzi District. Gantsi is prone to veldt fires every year.

According to the Global Forest Watch (GFW), in Gantsi the peak fire season typically begins in late July and lasts around 13 weeks. “There were 974 VIIRS fire alerts reported between November 20, 2023, and November 18, 2024, considering high confidence alerts only.

This is normal compared to previous years going back to 2012,” states the GFW. The GFW added: “In Gantsi there have been 951 Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) fire alerts reported so far in 2024 considering high confidence alerts only. This total is normal compared to the total for previous years going back to 2012. The most fires recorded in a year was 2023, with 5,624.” The IDMC also says that sub-Saharan Africa, which hosts 46% of the world’s IDPs, was again the region most affected by internal displacement in 2023. “Conflict and disasters overlapped in many countries, forcing people to flee again and/or prolonging their displacement. There were 75.9 million internally displaced people across the world at the end of 2023. “These numbers show that internal displacement is a crisis of enormous proportions and yet, the world is largely unaware,” per the IDMC.