Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi said Tuesday that his country and its neighbours cannot continue to be spectators “while others debate and take decisions about our elephants”.
Speaking at the ongoing elephant summit in the tourism town of Kasane in northern Botswana, Masisi implored neighbouring countries to rally behind Botswana and Zambia’s proposal to move elephants in the region from Appendix I to Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
The proposal is up for discussion during the forthcoming meeting in Sri Lanka.
Down-listing will help Botswana and her neighbours to sell ivory stockpiles, among other benefits to countries affected by elephant over population.
Masisi is hosting his counterparts from Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Angola in an effort to find a long lasting solution to elephant interventions.
Masisi informed his counterparts that “we should expect that the proposal will be vigorously opposed.”
Masisi urged southern Africa states to speak with one voice on regional elephants in order to curb hostility from international community at the upcoming CITES conference of parties.
KO/jn/APA