governments urged to act on domestic ivory markets

(Geneva, Switzerland) – Governments attending the 18th Conference of the Parties (CoP18) of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) faced criticism today over failing to close their legal domestic ivory markets – while the forum as a whole agreed to ask such countries to report at the next meeting on what action they are taking.

A coalition of 30 African elephant range states in favour of elephant protection strongly criticised the failure of Japan and the EU to close their markets as recommended at the last CITES Conference, in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2016. However, governments at CITES refused to back the call from these African countries to tighten language in a CITES resolution to unequivocally call for the closure of all domestic legal ivory markets. Instead, they accepted a compromise to ask countries that have not closed domestic markets to report back on measures they are taking at the next CITES conference.

Matt Collis, IFAW Director, International Policy, and head of IFAW’s delegation at CITES, said: “We congratulate the many countries, including China, the US, UK and others who have taken or announced measures to close their ivory markets. Legal ivory markets and a lack of action against large illegal markets in certain countries continue to provide opportunities for criminal syndicates to traffic ivory.

“We urge countries whose legal domestic markets remain open, particularly Japan and the EU, to close them as a matter of urgency, and hope they will be in a position to report back on such steps at the next CITES conference.”

IFAW believes that, until such markets are shut down, efforts to end the poaching crisis and stop criminal syndicates from trafficking ivory, will be frustrated.

Elephants are in crisis with at least 20,000 being illegally killed each year for their ivory. On average around 55 elephants are poached every day in Africa; that's roughly one every 26 minutes.

The Conference of Parties (CoP18) of CITES is meeting in Geneva, Switzerland until August 28.

Proposals to address the listing status of elephants on the CITES appendices, which will determine if future sales of stockpiled ivory are allowed or not, are scheduled to be introduced by the forum tomorrow (Thursday).

During the debate on domestic ivory markets, the EU announced it would soon be introducing new regulations. Collis added: “IFAW is pleased to hear the EU intends to come forward with revised regulations for its ivory market. IFAW has long been calling for such measures and we await further detail with interest. Any changes must shut down ivory markets in the EU with all but extremely limited exemptions, in line with actions taken by other nations like China, the US and the UK.”

The current EU regulations afford too many opportunities for criminals to pass off ivory from poached elephants as antiques and export to other markets around the world.

IFAW works in more than 40 countries, to rescue and protect animals and their habitats, for a world where animals and people can thrive together. A team of IFAW experts are attending CITES CoP18 and are available for interview throughout.

Ends

For more information or to arrange interviews with IFAW experts please contact Clare Sterling on mobile +44 (0)7917 507717, email csterling@ifaw.org, or Christina Pretorius on mobile +41 779 114253 or +27 (0) 82 330 2558, email cpretorius@ifaw.org Skype interviews can be arranged on request.

CITES information and documents are available here: https://www.cites.org/eng/cop/index.php

IFAW is tweeting updates from the proceedings via various accounts including @Action4IFAW http://twitter.com/action4ifaw and @IFAWUK https://twitter.com/ifawuk

Images and footage are available for media use.

About the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) - The International Fund for Animal Welfare is a global non-profit helping animals and people thrive together. We are experts and everyday people, working across seas, oceans and in more than 40 countries around the world. We rescue, rehabilitate and release animals, and we restore and protect their natural habitats. The problems we’re up against are urgent and complicated. To solve them, we match fresh thinking with bold action. We partner with local communities, governments, non-governmental organisations and businesses. Together, we pioneer new and innovative ways to help all species flourish. See how at ifaw.org