By contrast, if the EU does not back their case, they threatened to oppose Europe’s proposal to ban trade in the giant fish.
A nine-year ban on ivory sales was agreed in 2007 under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), but two African nations — Tanzania and Zambia — want to reclassify their elephant populations, as a first step to resuming the trade, a leaked letter from the 23 countries says.
The group of African countries, which includes Kenya, Ethiopia and Nigeria, are concerned that most EU countries support Tanzania and Zambia’s attempts to restart the ivory trade, the letter says.
EU ambassadors met on Friday to finalise the bloc’s position at the next CITES meeting which starts on March 13.
The diplomats are expected to confirm support for an endangered listing for the Atlantic bluefin, which would effectively ban trade in the endangered fish which can fetch up to $100,000 each at market.
“Please do not force our collective hand to cast our 23 votes against the EU on any of the issues it is supporting such as, for example, the high profile proposed ban on bluefin tuna,” said the letter seen by Reuters.
After lengthy talks on Friday morning on bluefin tuna, ivory and polar bears, the bloc could struggle to reach a unified position by March 13, an EU source said.
Poachers in many central and west African countries continue to kill elephants for their ivory, which is used for trinkets and also as an aphrodisiac in countries such as China. The legal ivory trade fuels and provides cover for unlawful sales, the 23 African countries argue.
BRUSSELS (Reuters)
Africa should oppose this in no uncertain terms!!!!!!!!!!how many Africans can relate to Tuna?the benefits are nil,but elephants to be used as a bargaining tool is an insult..
It is an irritional argument of betting the elephant ivory trade… why should CITES be revocked when it has protected the enderged species ever since its inception? By the way this letter they are talking about, who in Zambia is supportive of it, or its just hearsay? African countries should oppose it ofcourse, I love Tuna.. The blue fish tuna is an endangered species and it should be protected at all cost! Protecting elephants is not negotiable
🙂 Nzovu Nazo Zyusuzika mu Chalo chino!!! Why am I not surprised that it had to be Zambians in government to fight for introduction of big game killing. At times I wonder how we ever started with Kaunda till Banda in this great nation. Attacked by unethical politicians and vandals.
This story was not well picked and reported. What Zambia and Tanzania are negotiating for is not the arbitrary lifting of the international ban on ivory trade. What they are negotiating for is a temporal ammendment on the ban to allow them sell the stockpiles of ivory that they have in their possession. The two governments have accumulated huge stockpiles of ivory that have been confiscated from poachers. So they are trying to have the ban lifted temporarily to enable them sell the stockpiles. It has happened before and some African countries sold their stockpiles. Therefore, why can’t Zambia and Tanzania be accorded the same leaverage to sell the stockpiles and earn foreign exchange? What is the benefit of keeping those ivory stockpiles?