UK support for independent inventory of Tanzania's ivory stock pile
UK Minister for Africa announces support for an independent transparent inventory of Tanzania’s ivory stock pile.
Hon.Lazaro Nyalandu, Minister of Tourism and Natural Resources with Mark Simmonds, UK Minister for Africa
At the end of a two day visit to Tanzania from 8-9 July, Minister for Africa, Mr Mark Simmonds MP, announced UK support through the Elephant Protection Initiative for a fresh, independent, and transparent inventory of Tanzania’s ivory stockpile, the largest in the world.
Mr Simmonds said:
“I am delighted to announce our support, for an independent inventory of Tanzania’s ivory stockpile plus annual inspections of all Government held ivory stocks. This will be done through UK funding to the Elephant Protection Initiative by the NGO Stop Ivory with CITES monitors. It is one of the key actions Tanzania identified as necessary to stop illegal wildlife trafficking”.
The process will include an independent and transparent inventory of Tanzania’s national ivory stockpile and a review of stock management procedures to ensure that they meet the highest international standards.
The inventory is a key component of Tanzania’s obligations under the Elephant Protection Initiative launched by The President of The United Republic of Tanzania, His Excellency Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete at the London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade on 13 February 2014. It is an important first step towards putting Tanzania’s ivory stockpile beyond economic use, as envisaged in the Elephant Protection Initiative.
The UK is also working in Tanzania on capacity building with the Judiciary and police to help improve the law enforcement side to catch and punish those involved in the illegal wildlife trade; and, through DFID supporting the development of sustainable livelihoods.
The British Minister also visited Tanzania’s Selous Game Reserve with Minister Nyalandu, seeing for himself the challenges facing Tanzania from the illegal wildlife trade.
On his return from the Selous, Mr Simmonds was shown Tanzania’s ivory stock pile, one of the world’s largest.
Tanzania is home to the world’s second largest elephant population after Botswana. Wildlife tourism accounts for 17% of Tanzania’s GDP. But there has been an alarming decline in the number of elephants, with the most recent 2013 census of Tanzania’s largest elephant ecosystem, the Selous, showing a 66% decline in numbers from 109,419 in 1976, to just 13,084 in 2013. According to UNODC 37% of global ‘very large’ ivory seizures (of over 800kg) between 2009-2011 originated from Tanzania.
The UK held a major global summit in February this year to build the highest level of political momentum for tackling the illegal wildlife trade. President Kikwete attended along with Minister Nyalandu and committed Tanzania to joining the Elephant Protection Initiative, together with Botswana, Chad, Ethiopia and Gabon. The initiative aims to secure funding from private and public sources to implement the African Elephant Plan to effectively conserve elephants in Africa. Participating countries like Tanzania committed to observe a moratorium on any consideration of future international trade for a minimum of 10 years and thereafter until African elephant populations are no longer threatened; and to put all ivory stockpiles beyond economic use.
In May this year, Tanzania held an important ‘Call to Action’ Summit against wildlife crime, bringing together relevant line ministries, civil society, donors and the private sector onto a common platform. The event received high level support from the Vice President and the Prime Minister, led by Minister of Tourism Lazaro Nyalandu. Helen Clark, former New Zealand PM, represented UNDP along with representatives from CITES, UNODC, and INTERPOL. There was also a strong showing from donors who signed up to a communiqué against poaching.
Announcements from the summit included the establishment of an independent Tanzania Wildlife Agency (TAWA) with enhanced powers and an inter-ministerial task force; 935 new ‘boots on the ground’ (game rangers); a new UNDP administered Wildlife Conservation Basket Fund for donors; an independently verifiable ivory registry; additional helicopters and vehicles; and greater regional cooperation- Tanzania will host a regional summit in October.
“Tanzania attaches great importance to the momentum that developed from the London conference and the commitment the UK and other governments have shown in helping the fight against the illegal wildlife trade, especially the elephant ivory trade”, said Minister Nyalandu. “We appreciate UK support for the Elephant Protection Initiative. We further call on the UK government to support our scaled up efforts to fight the illegal wildlife trade through strengthening the legal framework and action to crack down on organised crime in source and demand countries”, the Minister said.
Ministers Simmonds and Nyalandu further agreed that more investment was urgently needed to boost tourism in Tanzania and that the UK would work with Tanzania to facilitate a Tourism Investment Conference in London.
Notes
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The UK Government hosted a major conference of global leaders in February 2014 to help eradicate the illegal wildlife trade and better protect the world’s most iconic species from the threat of extinction
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The London Conference successfully focused high level political attention on the issue of Illegal Wildlife Trade: 41 countries, the EU, and 10 international organisations attended the London conference, including four African Presidents.
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The London Conference agreed an ambitious political declaration, which contains 25 commitments including:
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Governments committed for the first time to renounce the use of any products from species threatened with extinction
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Governments will support the CITES commercial prohibition on international trade in elephant ivory until the survival of elephants in the wild is no longer threatened by poaching
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Governments committed to treating poaching and trafficking as a serious organised crime in the same category as drugs, arms and people trafficking.
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A follow up Conference in Botswana next year will review progress on the actions agreed at the London Conference.
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A Government-wide UK response to the challenge of tackling Illegal Wildlife Trade, which covers both existing and potential new action and areas for engagement, was published on 6th February 2014, and the UK will report on progress in a year’s time
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A £10 million fund to tackle illegal trade in wildlife products was announced jointly by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and DFID on 23 December 2013.
Key facts
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The levels of poaching and illegal wildlife trade are alarming. They not only threaten individual species but also strike at the heart of our goals for good governance, protection of national and regional security, and sustainable economic development.
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The illegal wildlife trade is a serious criminal industry worth more than £6 billion each year. While threatening the future existence of whole species, it devastates already vulnerable communities, drives corruption and undermines efforts to cut poverty.
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It undermines the international rule of law and the economies of our African trading partners.
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There is a risk that insurgent or terrorist groups could benefit from the trade.
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Illegal ivory trade activity worldwide has more than doubled since 2007, with ivory selling for up to £1,200 per kilo.
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Rhino poaching increased 5000% between 2007-12, with one killed by a poacher every 10 hours. Rhino horn is now worth more than gold and platinum and is more valuable on the black market than diamonds or cocaine.
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Last year the Western Black Rhino was declared extinct - all species of rhino could be extinct in our lifetime. Three out of nine species of tiger are extinct with only 3,500 remaining in the wild and since 2004 the Central Africa region has lost two-thirds of its elephant population.
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The lives of those working hard to protect endangered wildlife are also at risk, with at least 1,000 park rangers killed over the last decade alone.
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The UK is helping to lead the global response in tackling the issue by:
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Committing £10m to help governments, NGOs and charities tackle illegal wildlife crime across the world.
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Providing up to £8m a year under the Darwin Initiative to fund projects to help wildlife and communities around the globe, including projects specifically targeted at combating the illegal trade in wildlife.
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Committing more than half a million GBP future funding for the UK’s National Wildlife Crime Unit.
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Hosting the London conference of world leaders to support our African and Asian partners in pushing the issue up the political agenda and establishing greater global attention.
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Being an active partner in CITES (the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna) and funding a key post within their secretariat.
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Working with INTERPOL and the World Customs Organisation to support the work of the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime.
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Providing specialist training to rangers in Kenya to help catch poachers and better protect their wildlife.
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Using our international standing to lobby both source and destination countries to take action against the trade.
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The Minister’s reply to Wildlife News is now on gov.uk.