Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. ZIMBABWE has renewed the call for the lifting of the ivory trade ban, arguing that selling existing stockpiles will raise crucial funds for wildlife conservation and help to combat illegal trafficking.
Environment, Climate and Wildlife minister Evelyn Ndlovu said sustainable trade could support conservation efforts.
“We are pro-sustainable trade, therefore, we are generally against increased regulation and the curtailment of trade,” Ndlovu stated during the CITES COP-20 Stakeholder Consultation Meeting in Bulawayo.
“We oppose one-size-fits-all policies that disregard national wildlife conservation or management successes and local community livelihood considerations.”
International trade in ivory and elephants was banned in 1989 under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
One-off sales were allowed in 1999 and 2008, despite fierce opposition.
The convention regulates global wildlife trade, aiming to ensure that international trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.
Ndlovu said Zimbabwe’s goal as a CITES member was to conserve endangered species through regulated international trade.
“It is important to note that Zimbabwe’s objective in being a member of CITES is to sustainably conserve endangered species by joining the global community in the regulation of international trade in such species,” she said.
The minister added that by advocating the lifting of ivory trade ban, Zimbabwe aimed to harness resources for conservation and community development, promoting a more sustainable approach to wildlife management.
Zimbabwe, along with Botswana, Namibia and Zambia, have been pushing for the lifting of the ban.
They argue that scrapping the ban can help to better preserve the animals and bring economic benefits to local communities who live close to the animals.
America, along with European Union countries and Britain, oppose the lifting the ban, while China and Japan are some of the countries siding with Zimbabwe.
In 2024, former Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi threatened to send 20 000 elephants to Germany in a dispute over conservation.
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