Key states along the illegal ivory value chain have committed to urgent measures to halt the illegal trade and secure elephant populations across Africa. The Agreement was reached at the African Elephant Summit convened by the government of Botswana and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The Summit is the first-ever meeting focusing on the dynamics f the entire ivory value chain. The measures were agreed on by key African Elephant range states including Gabon, Kenya, Niger and Zambia. Ivory transit states Vietnam, Philippines and Malaysia and ivory destination states, including China and Thailand.
Our window of opportunity to tackle the growing illegal ivory trade is closing and if we do not stem the tide, future generations will condemn our unwillingness to act’’, says H.E Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama, President of the Republic of Botswana. ‘’Now is the time for Africa and Asia to join forces to protect this universally valued and much needed species’’.
One of the 14 measures the delegates committed to involves classifying wildlife trafficking as a ‘’serious crime’’. This will unlock international law enforcement cooperation provided under the United Nationals Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime, including mutual legal assistance, asset seizure and forfeiture, extradition and other tools to hold criminals accountable for wildlife crime.
Other measures agreed include engaging communities living with elephants in their conservation, strengthening national laws to secure maximum wildlife crime sentences, mobilizing financial and technical resources to combat wildlife crime and reducing demand for illegal ivory.
‘’We are very pleased with the result of the Summit, especially as it involves some of the most important countries along the illegal ivory value chain, says IUCN Director General Julia Marton-Lefe`vre. ‘’We hope that these outcomes will go beyond the Summit’s focus on African Elephants and boost broader efforts to combat illegal wildlife trade and other species which have been threatened by it, such as rhinos and pangolins’’.
2011 saw the highest levels of poaching and illegal ivory trade in at least 16 years and 2012 shows no signs of abating. According to preliminary data, even higher levels of illicit trade may be reached in 2013. Eighteen large scale seizures involving over 40 tonnes of ivory have been recorded so far this year, which represents the greatest quantity of ivory seized over the last 25 years.
Poverty and corruption, fuelled by increasing demand from Asia are the principle drivers of poaching and illegal ivory trade.
