African Elephant Summit: Countries Welcome Decision As Ban On Ivory Trade Remains

Zimbabwe’s African elephant summit has closed without broad support to lift the ban on the ivory trade, but it did conclude that decisions taken by the body overseeing endangered species were “no longer scientific”.

Trade in ivory was banned in 1989 by the Convention for the International Trade of Endangered Species (Cites).

“Cites decisions are no longer scientific but based on votes and emotion. As such there is need to review the convention and ensure it serves its intended purpose,” the summit’s final communique says.

Zimbabwe had organised the summit so Africa would have a unified voice at the next Cites gathering that takes place in Panama in November.

Representatives attending the summit in the Zimbabwean resort of Hwange – from Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia – agreed this was a good idea.

But Zimbabwe had wanted them to back lifting the ivory trade ban so it could sell its stockpile, estimated to be around $600m (£480m).

It argued the money could be ploughed back into conservation and help those living in elephant areas.

The summit acknowledged that conservation efforts were working in southern Africa, given growing elephant populations there – so their views should be taken into account.

Zimbabwe has a population of about 100,000 elephants – the world’s second-largest after Botswana – and at least 60 people have been killed by elephants since the start of the year.

It was also agreed that local communities in wildlife areas should be included in any decision making on these issues.