A COALITION of 15 African countries has welcomed China’s commitment to closing its domestic ivory markets by the end of 2017, saying the move signalled Beijing’s goodwill in protecting Africa’s elephants.
The countries that are members of the
Elephant Protection Initiative (EPI) said in a joint statement issued in
Nairobi that the closure of China’s ivory market is a crucial step into
securing a future for elephants in their current range.
The EPI was established in February 2014
at the London Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade by leaders from
Tanzania, Botswana, Chad, Gabon and Ethiopia as an urgent response to
this elephant poaching crisis.They have since been joined by 10 more
states -- Uganda, Gambia, Malawi, Kenya, Liberia, Congo, Angola, Sierra
Leone, Somalia and South Sudan.
The Director of Malawi National Parks
and Wildlife, Mr Brighton Kumchedwa, welcomed Beijing’s pledge to stop
their domestic ivory trade in 2017, saying it will both reduce demand
and close the legal markets through which criminals are known to launder
illegal ivory.
“Malawi has taken our own fight to
combat illegal ivory trade to another level. Just last month, the courts
have passed record sentences for wildlife crime, and parliament passed
new wildlife legislation,” Mr Kumchedwa said.
“But as one country, there is only so
much we can do, and China’s commitment has boosted our determination and
belief that if we all work together we can indeed save Africa’s
elephants from extinction,” the director said.
The EPI is a pledge by African leaders
to take actions to protect their elephants and to push for the closure
of ivory markets in source, transit and consumer countries.
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