African Elephant Coalition in Strategic Ivory Trade Meeting

June 2008. 19 African elephant range states have held a consultative meeting - the third in two years - in Kenya's coastal town of Mombasa to re-affirm the anti-ivory trade Bamako Declaration signed in February 2007 in Mali. They will also attempt to find consensus on issues that are considered critical for the survival of the African elephant.

The Coalition's chairman, Mali Minister for Environment, Aghatam AG Alhassane, said, "We need to discuss the formation of an action plan that will enable us to maintain a viable and healthy elephant population free from threats posed by consumptive use and international ivory trade. As the African Elephant Coalition, we seek to champion eco-tourism for the benefit of local communities. This is the spirit, purpose and mission of the Bamako Declaration."

Dr Noah Wekesa, Minister for Forestry and Wildlife in Kenya and co-chair of the African Elephant Coalition, said, "The Standing Committee Meeting 57 of CITES to review the status of the elephant and legal ivory trade issues is set for July 2008 in Geneva. With an impending sale of ivory stockpiles from Southern Africa states, it is imperative that the Coalition is speaking with one voice beforehand on issues relating to ivory trade controls, and the decision making mechanisms used by CITES to regulate ivory trade," he said.

Elephant - human conflict resolution
In addition, the meeting will discuss the formation of a full-fledged secretariat to manage the Coalition and give its views on the establishment of a proposed African Elephant Fund which, it hopes, will address programmes aimed at resolving elephant-human conflict, habitat loss and other threats within elephant range states. James Isiche, regional director for IFAW in East Africa said, "With IFAW's facilitation, we foresee the Coalition growing into a formidable voice for elephant conservation in Africa - which in the past has been undermined by poaching and ivory trade. To push the Coalition to the next level will, however, require assistance from Governments and like-minded conservation bodies and development agencies."

Courtesy of IFAW