BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Efforts by Zimbabwe to open trade in elephant leather and ivory failed in a vote at 19th Conference of the Parties (CoP19) in Panama after 85 percent of global countries opposed the move, arguing that it will fuel wildlife crimes. 

The proposal, if successful, would have allowed the sale of ivory from national stockpiles of Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa which they argued that the profits from the sales were going to benefit communities and support the conservation of wildlife. 

Zimbabwe says it is sitting on a stockpile worth US$600 million that needs to be disposed of, but it failed to achieve the two-thirds majority required to pass. 

“Swift on the heels of the defeat to re-open trade, Parties at Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) CoP19 voted against uplisting of all elephant populations, maintaining the status quo and the ongoing challenge of differing levels of protection across the range of African elephants,” Environmental Investigation Agency organization said in a statement.

Only 15 governments voted in favour, 83 against, with 17 abstentions.

IFAW deputy President of Conservation, Matthew Collis in another statement said it welcomed the decision which it says will prevent the poaching of elephants for their tusks.

“We have seen the devastating effect of the ivory trade on elephant populations across the world that have been ruthlessly targeted by poachers,” Collins said.

“Any legal ivory trade provides opportunities for criminals to launder poached elephant ivory into the market.

“Much progress has been made in recent years to close down remaining ivory markets, so we are pleased this decision does not undo such progress.”

“We are sympathetic to the countries seeking to generate income for conservation, but we must find ways to do so without exposing elephant populations to the risk of further poaching,”Collins noted.

“Sadly, governments look likely to refuse  such an opportunity at this very meeting, given the lack of agreement earlier today for a proposal put forward by Kenya to set up a fund to support elephant conservation in exchange for destruction of ivory stockpiles.”

A similar proposal was rejected at the previous CITES conference in Geneva in 2019

 Meanwhile, countries such as Kenya’s have proposed setting up a Convention on International Trade in a working group to explore the feasibility of “Establishing a fund accessible to range states upon non-commercial disposal of ivory stockpiles”.

The fund will be envisaged by making resources available to support elephant conservation and research programs, as well as for livelihoods and economic development programs.

“There has never been a better time to find a new approach to supporting elephant range states in their conservation initiatives, ”

“There was a disastrous increase in poaching across Africa after the last ivory stockpile sales in 2008, and there are no obvious buyers this time around.

“IFAW is pleased that Governments at CITES have chosen to reject repeating that failed experiment, but we urge CITES governments to explore more innovative ways to get resources to elephant range states to protect their wildlife.” Collis concluded.

CoP19 is scheduled to run until Friday.