SADC COUNTRIES

Zimbabwe'sproposal for reopening ivorytrade is one of the hot issuesat this year's Conventionon International Trade inEndangered Species (CITES)meeting this month. TheSouthern African Development Community (SADC)countries of Zimbabwe,Namibia and Botswana haveunited in their proposal torestart the trade in ivory.Although South Africa isnot asking to be included inthe list, it has forwarded itssupport to the three SADC countries.

I Recent statistics haveshown that elephant populations have been rising steadily in southern Africa to about 150,000 despiteculling. But SADC countriesassert that they have successfully curbed poaching.Reportedly, elephant herdsare having increasing conflicts with farmers and villagers who, feel the experts, need a financial incentive toconserve elephants.

The Zimbabwean department of national parksand wildlife management(DNWPLM) holds over 28,000tonne (t) of ivory obtainedfrom poached or culled elephants. Between 1992 and1995, sales averaged 3.6 t ayear. Over 1996, 10 t weresold. A CITES team reportedthat large amounts of raw,semi-worked and workedivory from this stockpile arebeing sent all around theworld. The team alleged thativory dealers are bypassingthe law by labeling the shipments with 'personal use'permits. Willas Makombe,director of a DNWPLM delegation, reacted angrily to theCITES report. Makombe said that any "shortcomings" thatoccurred in 1996 were due to lack of funds and staffvacancies which are being filled up now.