Rays of hope emerge for Botswana at CITES
Monday, November 14, 2022 | 960 Views |
In the news: The conservation of elephants is a highly divisive issue PIC: MBONGENI MGUNI
Rays of hope for Botswana and her elephant range neighbours have emerged ahead of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Conference of Parties (CoP) meeting in Panama, where several West African countries are pushing for a ban on the country’s elephant trophy trade.
CITES is an international body binding 183 states to agreements on the trade and protection of endangered plants and animals. The upcoming CoP19, to be held in Panama in November, is CITES’ highest decision-making meeting held every three years where countries frequently clash over proposals to tighten or loosen trade in various animal and plants.
It highlights the need to protect rights such as access to clean water, education, healthcare and freedom of expression.President Duma Boko, rightly honours past interventions from securing a dignified burial for Gaoberekwe Pitseng in the CKGR to promoting linguistic inclusion. Yet, they also expose a critical truth, that a nation cannot sustainably protect its people through ad hoc acts of compassion alone.It is time for both government and the...