SADC WILDLIFE SECTOR TECHNICAL CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE SUPPORTS THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN PROPOSALS TO THE 11TH CITES CONFERENCE

27 February 2000

The SADC Wildlife Sector resolved to support the African Elephant proposals by Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa to be discussed at the 11th Conference of the Parties to CITES in Nairobi 10 – 20 April this year.

The statement was issued after a meeting in Maputo on Friday last week in preparation for the SADC heads of states meeting in Swaziland later next month (March). The SADC sector committee also expressed its concern about African Elephant populations elsewhere in Africa and said that the illegal killing of elephants in some of the elephant range states does constitute a threat to these populations.

However, SADC notes that the ban on the legal trade in ivory by CITES in 1989 has had little effect on the illegal trade, and therefore is not considered to be appropriate solution. SADC believes that with proper controls in the trade of legal ivory, as demonstrated during the experimental trade to Japan supervised by the CITES secretariat over the past year, the Southern African populations of the African Elephant have benefited and SADC therefore encourages other range states to consider this option.

South Africa has proposed to CITES that its elephant population be downlisted from Appendix I to Appendix II to allow for an experimental quota of stockpiled ivory from the Kruger National Park ivory store be sold to a single buyer, under strict supervision of the CITES secretariat, and the trade in live animals to recognised conservation authorities. This follows the successful one-off sales of ivory by Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe to Japan late last year, after their successful proposal to the 10th Conference held in Harare in June 1997.

The South African proposal is to sell stockpiled ivory derived from natural mortality and management programmes, and will not result in the death of any elephants. Poached ivory seized by conservation authorities or the police is strictly excluded.

Having successfully concluded their one-off sale, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe have now submitted proposals for an annual quota of stockpiled ivory to be sold.

The support of SADC at the Maputo meeting is based on the grounds of biological criteria, effective management of ivory stocks and benefits to local communities in the four proponent countries. The committee noted that:

• SADC has adopted a Protocol on Wildlife Conservation and Law Enforcement to enhance the conservation and sustainable use of wildlife resources in the region.
• The four proponent countries have demonstrated to have effective and efficient management programmes.
• It has been proven by the four proponent countries that their respective populations of African Elephant are viable and increasing in number.
• The ivory under consideration originates from natural mortalities and management programmes, and as such no elephant is to be killed for its ivory.
• The transfer of the elephant populations of Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe to Appendix II at COP10 has not affected these populations.
• The four proponent countries have effective legislation and law enforcement programmes.
• Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe complied with the stringent controls for the experimental trade in ivory as set out at COP10.
• No illegal ivory entered the experimental trade as confirmed by the CITES secretariat.
• No significant increase in the illegal killing of elephants has occurred in the four countries since the experimental trade in ivory.
• Revenues generated from the experimental trade are being used for elephant conservation, and community development and upliftment. All four countries committed themselves to continue this practice.

For more background information see the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism website: www.environment.gov.za

Didi Moyle: Special Advisor to the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Phone: (021) 465 7240/1 or (012) 310 3611
Fax: (021) 465 3216 or (012) 322 0082
moyle@mweb.co.za
cell: 082 808 5108