Zambia, 4 others agree to withdraw from CITES so they can cull elephants
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
FIVE SADC nations have agreed to withdraw from CITES so as to sustainably cull elephants and sell ivory for economic and social benefits.
The nations involved are
Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Botswana, and Namibia.
Zimbabwean’s President Emmerson Mnagangwa says: ‘Those who have failed to conserve their wildlife should not dictate how African countries utilise and conserve their wildlife resources.”
“I heard sometime that there was a conference in Europe where it was suggested that we should not cull our elephants. I am sure we should agree to donate 40,000 or more elephants and see if they will be able to feed them,” he told the gathering. “It is regrettable that those that finished their wildlife want to regulate us. We have a proud history of wildlife conservation, it is disheartening and unfortunate that those who are opposing our conservation philosophy have themselves failed to conserve their wildlife.”
President Mnangangwa added that through Kavango Zambezi-Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA-TFCA) wildlife population has been grown.
“We should not allow those with hidden agendas to didctate the way we manage or utilise our our own God-given resources,” President Mnangagwa said.
He said there was need for a common voice in defending KAZA’- TFCA’s conservation policies and sovereignty, adding “The region’s position at COP 20 next year should provide the position to defend KAZA-TFCA’s member states position”.
And President Hakainde Hichilema said African countries should be able to curl their wild animals in a sustainable manner for “economic and social benefits”.
President Hichilema who did not mention CITES (Convention on International Trade and Endangered Species of Wildlife Fauna and Flora) by name said the KAZA-TFCA Livingstone heads of state summit agreed on a number of things such as the KAZA Univisa and other issues suggested by ministers of tourism from the five countries.
“How is that we leave out the curling, the trading of what KAZA-TFCA is all about, and so if we can’t curl an old elephant bull that has decided only eating maize, what do we do? When we curl it do we burn it? There will trade with curling,” he said.
He however warned that irresponsible harvesting of wildlife could lead to destruction.
His Botswana counterpart Eric Keabetswe Masis, represented by his Vice-President Slumber Tsogwane on the issue of the KAZA-TFCA Univisa said: “I don’t know why we are so behind, maybe we were wrongly employed. But I promise it will be done like yesterday.”
This was in reference to tourism ministers’ call that Namibia, Angola, and Botwana should implement the no visa regime as Zambia and Zimbabwe who have done so.
Namibia’s President Nangolo Mbumba said the country had endorsed all the ministers’ recommendations to the heads of state.
And SADC executive secretary Elias Magosi expressed concern that the huge population of elephants has greatly degraded habitat and continue to damage crops and kill people.
“The story of animal-human conflict must be balanced; not just animals, there are people. The restrictive wildlife trade hinders livehood development for our people. We must all find workable solutions not just wildlife (protection),” said Magosi.
And the summit communique read out by Zambia’s tourism minister Rodney Sikumba urged member states to expedite operationalisation of the SADC CITES Engagement Strategy 2022-2026.
He said this will help defend conservation, sustainable use, and socio-economic development interests of
the region at CITES COP 20 to be held in Geneve next year.
Summit considered options available within and outside CITES including diplomatic engagement, withdrawal, reservations, arbitration, and trading with non-CITES parties to benefit from wildlife and wildlife products.
KAZA partner states were urged to fully prepare and participate at the upcoming dialogue meeting planned for August this year in Botswana, including the holding of at least two preparatory meetings to develop a regional common position for CITES COP 20.
The summit also resolved to ban exports of raw timber within KAZA region.
The summit at Avani Hotel which closed on Friday was held under the theme: “Leveraging KAZA’s natural capital and cultural heritage resources as catalysts for inclusive socio-economic development of the eco-region”