Will CITES fail Africa for the 44th year?
Friday, August 09, 2019

Elephants from Chobe National Park PIC. KEOAGILE BONANG
Today, Africa has never recovered from such divisions even in the area of wildlife conservation and trade in its wildlife products such as ivory and rhino horns.
African countries are made to oppose one another for no good reason. Therefore, it is unsurprising that Western animal rights groups and some Western countries continue to successfully influence West, North and East African countries to oppose Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries’ bid to trade in ivory and rhino horn – even to hunt elephants and rhinos.
While every citizen, including the Head of State, has the right to voice opinions, the tone and context of the President’s comments were regrettably dismissive and risk chilling free expression in our country. The remarks are not isolated. They form part of a disturbing pattern of public attacks on independent institutions pillars essential to the healthy functioning of our democracy. The Judiciary, the Legislature, and now the media have all...