08 Oct 2024

In an effort to develop the management and trade of African elephants, the range states have agreed to amendments to annotation A10, pertaining to the elephant populations of Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

This decision aims to harmonise conditions for trading live African elephants and various elephant-derived products.

The amendments, finalised at the recent African Elephant Dialogue Meeting in Maun, were designed specifically to facilitate the trade of hunting trophies for non-commercial purposes, live animals to appropriate and acceptable destinations, hides and hair, as well as leather goods.

The meeting, hosted by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, brought together representatives from 31 of the 37 African elephant range states.

It focused on harmonising trade conditions for live African elephants and addressing critical management issues outside the pressures of the Conference of Parties (CoP). This dialogue aligns with decisions made during the 19th CITES Conference of Parties, setting the stage for further discussions at CoP20 in 2025.

A communiqué issued following the meeting stated that the range states reviewed proposed amendments to annotation A10 within the CITES Appendices, particularly those put forth by Botswana on behalf of parties with elephant populations listed in Appendix II. 

Furthermore, proposed changes to resolution Conf. 10.10 (Rev. CoP19) regarding the trade in elephant specimens and resolution Conf. 11.20 (Rev. CoP18) concerning the definition of “appropriate and acceptable destinations,” were presented by Kenya.

With a consensus achieved on the amendments to annotation A10, the range states opted not to delve deeper into Resolution Conf. 11.20 (Rev. CoP18).

Regarding the state of African elephant populations, the range states called upon the African Elephant Specialist Group (AESG) to establish mechanisms for relevant authorities to share survey information and provide input before any status reports or population estimates are finalised.

Representatives from the AESG of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission also provided insights on the current status of African elephant populations and the range of the two species identified by the IUCN.
Additionally, the CITES secretariat shared updates regarding the Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) programme, focusing on data from African elephant range states and trends in the Proportion of Illegally Killed Elephants (PIKE).

The range states expressed t appreciation for the support from the CITES MIKE programme, noting it as a model for governmental involvement in data collection that informs conservation strategies.

The discussions highlighted the potential for expanding the network of MIKE sites across other range states and the importance of sustainable financing for elephant conservation. Nigeria proposed the establishment of a regional coordination committee to oversee the implementation of the African Elephant Action Plan (AEAP) while enhancing regional cooperation.

The range states also agreed on exploring diverse options for sustainable financing mechanisms and drafted possible decisions to be considered at CoP20. 

The communiqué detailing these discussions will be circulated among the parties, with plans for the Standing Committee to review the outcomes at its 78th meeting.
Botswana committed to submitting a proposal regarding the amendments to annotation A10, inviting other range states to join as co-proponents. ENDS