Sonya Fatah
17 September 2002
Johannesburg — KENYA's NGO forum, led by the International Fund for Animal Welfare, has called on African Elephant Range States to oppose the reopening of the ivory trade at the 12th Conference of Parties for Convention on the International in Endangered Species in November in Santiago, Chile.
At a meeting held in Nairobi, last week the forum's position was supported not only by the Kenyan government but by the entire East African region.
Major opposition to the call, however, comes from the SA-led southern African region. SA and four other regional states Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe have put together a proposal in support of resuming the ivory trade. The African range states include 35 African states, all which have resident elephants populations.
SA is petitioning to sell 30 tons of ivory stocks from the Kruger National Park ivory stockpile and to allow an annual quota thereafter. The southern African region is home to 70% of Africa's 300000 to 450000 elephants.
Jason Bell, director of the international fund in southern Africa says: "We are obviously very concerned." Stating that the SA position is a very narrow view on elephant protection, he says "the ivory trade is a truly international issue".
"There is enough evidence that the reinstatement will lead to increased poaching particularly in East and Central Africa, where enforcement mechanisms are not as developed."
Ali Kaka, executive director of the East African Wildlife Society told the forum: "The primary cause of the decline in elephants has been poaching which is fuelled by demand for ivory. "
The international fund says the SA government has been unresponsive to its pleas, and that the government's position is bolstered by a significant amount of political support for the proposal, both internally and from the Southern African Development Community.
African states are due to meet in Santiago at the end of October to discuss the proposals.
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