SADC moves to start legal wildlife trade outside CITES

From the soil: SADC countries are fighting for the right to set their own conservation agendas
From the soil: SADC countries are fighting for the right to set their own conservation agendas

JOHANNESBURG: Last week a number of SADC countries made formal declarations refusing to accept anymore of what they say is CITES’ ‘unfair, harmful and prohibitive’ trade rules regarding wildlife and wildlife products.

The states dismissed the CITES voting process and reinforced their position that the UN agency’s trading rules are “tainted, rigged and not free and fair.”

After the 18th CITES conference voted to block the SADC countries from trading in specific animals in August, some of them recently officially filed reservations with CITES to ignore the vote, a dramatic action the CITES treaty permits. The SADC states have declared that they would not abide by the CITES restrictions that are detrimental to conservation and development in their countries.

Editor's Comment
Bravo, Matlala JSS for recognising employees!

Last Friday, Matlala Junior Secondary School (JSS) in Tlokweng did just that – they organised an event to honour their teachers and support staff. This gesture is truly commendable, as teachers occupy a pivotal role in the lives of our children.To be completely candid, teachers are the ones who shape our children from a very tender age, investing a significant amount of time in their growth and development. It's not uncommon to hear parents...

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