A/HRC/42/47/Add.5 connections had been made available, partly because community members chose to remain outside of formal state structures in order to retain their traditional lifestyle and systems. Equally, many traditionally nomadic communities who are living on, or have returned to, reserve land have not been assisted with access to water and sanitation. (A/HRC/33/49/Add.3, paras. 58-62) 66. The Government responded to the Special Rapporteur’s recommendation by noting that it continues to engage in “dialogue with communities who are transitioning from a nomadic to sedentary life” in order to find “sustainable solutions to their access to water and sanitation.” It further noted that there exists a national Central Kalahari Game Reserve Committee which, each quarter, meets to discuss issues that are worrying the residents of the Reserve, and to engage with them about their access to basic services, including water and sanitation. The Committee is comprised of governmental permanent secretaries and it regularly meets with the Cabinet to discuss its findings. Furthermore, the Government noted that there is also an established Committee within Ghanzi District, which comprises Reserve representatives. The Ghanzi District Committee meets regularly to discuss the needs to the Reserve’s residents, including those relating to water and sanitation. With regards to the measures that are in place to alleviate the difficulties experienced by Reserve residents in accessing water and sanitation, the Government noted that Ghanzi district “continues to bowse water into the game reserve and stores it in the 20,000 L containers as well as [ensuring] that those that are in the Social Protection programmes receive their dues monthly.” It further stated that “the Committee had a meeting with the Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development during the 3 rd quarter of the last financial year and different political leaders and officials continue to meet with them as per need to improve their access to amenities. Boreholes have been drilled in the reserve and plans are underway to equip them.” 67. Whilst these efforts to communicate with affected nomadic, formerly nomadic and semi-nomadic communities regarding their water and sanitation needs is positive, whether these efforts are being translated into an improvement of access to water and sanitation is of concern. Indeed, the report of the Special Rapporteur on minorities on his visit to Botswana, conducted from 13 to 24 August 2018, evidences that despite the Government outlining its communication and supply processes regarding the water and sanitation needs of traditionally nomadic people, these groups still suffer significant challenges in obtaining adequate water and sanitation services. In this regard, the report notes that “[w]hile inadequate access to water occurred in urban poor areas as well as rural poor areas, it was pointed out to the Special Rapporteur that such difficulties seemed to disproportionally affect settlements where certain nomadic and minority communities lived, including in particular San and other Basarwa communities. The Special Rapporteur was told of settlements with more than the 250 persons required to become a recognized settlement for the provision of basic services that still had no water connection.” (A/HRC/40/64/Add.2, para. 57). 68. While the Special Rapporteur acknowledges the Government’s attempts to engage in dialogue with nomadic, semi-nomadic, and formerly nomadic groups, it is unclear how those efforts are concretely translating into finding sustainable solutions for the access to water and sanitation of the nomadic groups. Although it is accepted that finding sustainable solutions to ensure access to adequate water and sanitation for these people may be challenging due to their wishes to remain outside of the Government’s processes, the Special Rapporteur reiterates that it is essential for the Government to engage in positive dialogue with nomadic groups in order to determine how to implement water and sanitation strategies which are acceptable to their traditional way of life and which satisfy Botswana’s obligations to respect, protect and fulfil the rights to water and sanitation. PROGRESS ON-GOING: The Special Rapporteur strongly recommends that the Government continues to engage in dialogue with communities transitioning from nomadic to sedentary lives and translates that dialogue into appropriate policy and action that prioritizes access to water and sanitation for these people. 17