How SADC votes were 'stolen' at CITES

SADC states with significant ivory stockpiles will have to keep waiting PIC: THALEFANG CHARLES
SADC states with significant ivory stockpiles will have to keep waiting PIC: THALEFANG CHARLES

GENEVA: The US$600 million Western animal rights groups ‘industry’ is widely believed to have used its financial power to bribe ‘weak’ East and West African countries to vote against Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries’ proposal to start international trade in ivory.

The three elephant over-populated SADC countries, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe submitted a joint proposal to trade in thousands of tonnes of stockpiled ivory. But they were incredibly defeated by 101 (81%) no-votes, with only 22 votes (19%) supporting their proposal.  That vote 81% to 19% - that’s the smoking gun.

It suggests that animal rights groups had long rigged the votes that were cast last week at the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES), in Geneva, Switzerland.

Editor's Comment
Routine child vaccination imperative

The recent Vaccination Day in Motokwe, orchestrated through collaborative efforts between UNICEF, USAID, BRCS, and the Ministry of Health, underscores a commendable stride towards fortifying child health services.The painful reality as reflected by the Ministry of Health's data regarding the decline in routine immunisation coverage since the onset of the pandemic, is a cause for concern.It underscores the urgent need to address the...

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