WEDNESDAY, 3.30PM
The crucial final decision on the status of the African elephant in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species will not be made on Wednesday, despite earlier expectations. Following overnight consultations with the three range states seeking the lifting of an international ban in ivory trade, it was agreed a 19-member working group be appointed to hold talks separately to help the ongoing international conference on endangered species reach a “pragmatic solution to such a complex issue”.
Although the group was given this morning during which to meet, delegates felt the time allocated was not enough. “I will not rule out the possibility that it requires more time,” said animals committee chairman David Brackett, adding the controversial issue might actually be carried on until Thursday and spill into the time alloted for the plenary session.
The 19-member working group to be chaired by Norway comprises: Uganda and Kenya (representing East Africa); South Africa and Malawi (Southern Africa); Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire (West Africa); Cameroon and the Democractic Republic of Congo (Central Africa); Egypt and Tunisia (North Africa), as well as the European Union, Canada, Japan, Nepal and Peru.
The three proponents also joined the working group, which was tasked to deal with the original three individual proposals, as well as to address some of the new concerns raised by Cites member states during debate on Tuesday.
WEDNESDAY, 9.00AM
The proposal to lift the ban on ivory trade was narrowly defeated at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) summit in Harare on Tuesday. In a secret ballot — insisted upon by Southern African countries — 75 countries voted for lifting the ban, with 41 countries against and seven abstentions. But the vote required a two thirds majority, or three more votes to make 78.
Former Cites secretary general Eugene LaPoint said that with such a close vote, the issue would be re-opened in the closing plenary session. He suggested that the motion’s proponents — Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia — enter into further talks with the seven countries that had abstained, because their main objection had been that insufficient documentation was provided. The Southern African bloc said they would continue to fight for acceptance of the motion today.
In a three-hour debate, the motion was supported by Nigeria, Russia, China, Norway, Korea and other countries, with the US, Australia, Israel and India speaking against. South Africa suggested a compromise amendment, which was accepted, that an 18-month moratorium on ivory sales be agreed on while further investigations are carried out.