African countries split over trade in ivory
by Ed Stoddard
2016-05-09 05:56:02.0
MEMBER states of the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) will not meet until September, but some countries have already drawn their battle lines on divisive issues such as the ivory trade.
Proposals for the meeting in Johannesburg were made public last week, pitting bids by Namibia and Zimbabwe to open up the trade in elephant ivory against initiatives led by Kenya for a complete global ban on the coveted commodity.
Those seeking to open up the trade of wild animal products argue it will raise badly needed funds for conservation, but others say it will provide cover to poachers and make the products socially acceptable.
"In all of these issues, we have two competing views. They are all aiming for the same objective, which is ensuring the survival of species in the wild," Cites secretary-general John Scanlon said.
Global trade in ivory is banned, although Cites has allowed one-off sales of national stockpiles. Several countries also allow domestic trade.
Kenya, long at the forefront of efforts to shut down the ivory trade completely, torched thousands of elephant tusks and rhino horns last month.
"The poaching crisis is really out of control, and more and more countries realise the only way to really stop it is to stop the trade," said Susan Lieberman, vice-president for international policy at the Wildlife Conservation Society.
Cites held its last "Conference of the Parties", where proposed amendments regarding trade in wild animals and plants are voted on by member states, three years ago. The agreements are legally binding, but regulate only international trade, not national laws.
In some countries, notably in southern Africa, animal populations have been growing. In its proposal, Namibia noted that its elephant population had risen from 7,500 in 1995 to more than 20,000 at present.
"Namibia … wishes to establish a regular form of controlled trade in all elephant specimens including ivory, in support of elephant conservation," its proposal says. Its ivory stockpile is growing 4.5% per year, mostly from natural deaths.
Surging security costs for wildlife against poachers are also a concern, which pro-traders say can be met by selling stockpiles.
Swaziland estimates it could raise almost $10m from its 330kg of rhino horn at a wholesale price of $30,000/kg.
"Who is going to pick up the tab for the annual security bill for rhinos, which is now estimated at R1.2bn-R2bn a year?" asks Pelham Jones, chairman of SA’s Private Rhino Owners Association.
Cash-strapped Zimbabwe says trade is the only way to pay for the costs of protecting its 80,000 elephants. Zimbabwe’s proposal says it has 70tonnes of raw ivory in the government storage facility estimated to be worth $35m.
"A legal trade in ivory would be beneficial for the Zimbabwe elephant population. Without it, elephants are likely to become extinct in Zimbabwe," it says in its proposal.
Reuters
Fire burns part of an estimated 105 tons of ivory and a tonne of rhino horn confiscated from smugglers and poachers at the Nairobi National Park near Nairobi, Kenya, April 30, 2016. Picture: REUTERS/SIEGFRIED MODOLA
MEMBER states of the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) will not meet until September, but some countries have already drawn their battle lines on divisive issues such as the ivory trade.
Proposals for the meeting in Johannesburg were made public last week, pitting bids by Namibia and Zimbabwe to open up the trade in elephant ivory against initiatives led by Kenya for a complete global ban on the coveted commodity.
Those seeking to open up the trade of wild animal products argue it will raise badly needed funds for conservation, but others say it will provide cover to poachers and make the products socially acceptable.
"In all of these issues, we have two competing views. They are all aiming for the same objective, which is ensuring the survival of species in the wild," Cites secretary-general John Scanlon said.
Global trade in ivory is banned, although Cites has allowed one-off sales of national stockpiles. Several countries also allow domestic trade.
Kenya, long at the forefront of efforts to shut down the ivory trade completely, torched thousands of elephant tusks and rhino horns last month.
"The poaching crisis is really out of control, and more and more countries realise the only way to really stop it is to stop the trade," said Susan Lieberman, vice-president for international policy at the Wildlife Conservation Society.
Cites held its last "Conference of the Parties", where proposed amendments regarding trade in wild animals and plants are voted on by member states, three years ago. The agreements are legally binding, but regulate only international trade, not national laws.
In some countries, notably in southern Africa, animal populations have been growing. In its proposal, Namibia noted that its elephant population had risen from 7,500 in 1995 to more than 20,000 at present.
"Namibia … wishes to establish a regular form of controlled trade in all elephant specimens including ivory, in support of elephant conservation," its proposal says. Its ivory stockpile is growing 4.5% per year, mostly from natural deaths.
Surging security costs for wildlife against poachers are also a concern, which pro-traders say can be met by selling stockpiles.
Swaziland estimates it could raise almost $10m from its 330kg of rhino horn at a wholesale price of $30,000/kg.
"Who is going to pick up the tab for the annual security bill for rhinos, which is now estimated at R1.2bn-R2bn a year?" asks Pelham Jones, chairman of SA’s Private Rhino Owners Association.
Cash-strapped Zimbabwe says trade is the only way to pay for the costs of protecting its 80,000 elephants. Zimbabwe’s proposal says it has 70tonnes of raw ivory in the government storage facility estimated to be worth $35m.
"A legal trade in ivory would be beneficial for the Zimbabwe elephant population. Without it, elephants are likely to become extinct in Zimbabwe," it says in its proposal.
Reuters
