The UN General Assembly resolution calls on countries to harmonize national legislation and transnational cooperation on the illegal trafficking of wildlife.
It also recognizes the links between wildlife crime, international organized crime and the plight of local communities, whose livelihoods are impacted by the illicit trade.
Enforcing laws and regulations that protect wildlife both nationally and across borders is a moral obligation, a legal imperative and an economic necessity.
United Nations Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner termed the resolution as a historic step forward in the war against poaching.
“This General Assembly resolution is an historic step forward, and one I believe will spark the firm and concerted international action needed to combat poaching and those who profit from it” Achim said
Dr Achim added that ” In calling for wildlife crime to be treated as a serious crime, both nationally and across borders, the resolution sends a clear signal to organized criminal networks involved in this illicit trafficking that their time will soon be up”.
The UN resolution comes as conservationists accuse Hong Kong and other countries from parts of eastern China of indirectly promoting illegal poaching of endangered wildlife species such as elephants and Rhinoceros.
Elephants’ killings have reportedly spiraled out of control in Africa especially Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique despite many efforts in eradicating illegal poaching.
Reports have revealed that a big chunk of illegal ivory ends up in the Asian markets especially parts of eastern China where they are used for trinkets, souvenirs and also in traditional medicines.
The conservationists squarely blame Hong Kong for hindering international efforts to eradicate illegal ivory trade as a way of preserving wildlife and biodiversity as stipulated in the Millennium Development Goals MDG set to be replaced by another universal agenda.
December 2015, is the deadline set for the UN member states to ensure Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are successfully achieved.
MDG number 7 seeks to reduce loss of biodiversity in order to sustain environmental resources which should be used for sustainable development in Africa, an effort being undermined by illegal Poaching.
‘It is difficult to reach the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) number 7 with the rate at which the elephant population is dwindling. This illegal trade is undermining the African environmental resources which should be used for sustainable development. It is not sustainable if you wipe out the elephant population out ‘says Iain Douglas-Hamilton, an Ivory trade expert.
A new survey shows Hong Kong as the main market for illegal ivory trade, with more pieces of Ivory on sale than anywhere else in the world.
In the report, other Ivory trade experts and conservationists Lucy Vigne, Esmond Martin and Chryssee Martin say a survey in Hong Kong’s retail outlets in late 2014 – early 2015 found 30, 856 pieces of ivory for sale.
‘This is a serious crisis. African elephants are in danger. 100,000 elephants have been killed in between 2010 -2012 for their tusks. Ivory trade should be halted in Hong Kong or these elephants’ survival will be threatened,’ says Iain Douglas-Hamilton, Founder of Save the Elephants.
However, Hong Kong authorities have made several seizures of Ivories in transit to China mainland.
‘In 2012, over 2000 kg of Ivories from Kenya were seized. In the same year 1000kg of ivory from Tanzania was intercepted. In 2013, another consignment that was 1300kg was seized. In the same year 2200kg of the commodity from Togo was captured. This is ironic as the country has almost no elephant population. The country has less than 100 jumbos. Massive corruption in this West African state has brought forth this situation” explains Esmond Martin the author of the new report.
Chinese Embassy in Kenya however, denied allegations involving Beijing with illegal ivory trade.
In a statement the embassy says all efforts are being done to save elephants in Kenya.
‘The Chinese government also fully supports Kenya’s conservation and anti-smuggling efforts and has conducted bilateral and multilateral cooperation with Kenya and other African countries to tackle this menace,’ the statement continues.
President Uhuru Kenyatta and President Xi Jinping met in Beijing, China in August 2013 where the Chinese president emphasized the need to work together on issues of common concern.
The two countries signed a deal worth $5 billion for various projects that included wildlife protection in Kenya.
Meanwhile the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set to be launched in New York in August this year is expected to push for more concerted efforts in ending illegal poaching and ivory trade in Africa in a bid to promote the continent’s environmental sustainability.
The UN backed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are expected to push for the post 2015 Millennium development agenda in order to promote sustainable developments in different sectors of the economies across the globe.
Conservationists say they expect SDGs to push for an end to destruction of biodiversity.
‘It is sad that we see young men destroying their own environmental resources before they have even had a chance to utilize these resources and also let future generation enjoy nature,’ Lain Douglas-Hamilton concluded.
No comments:
Post a Comment