The Head of State of Gabon, Ali Bongo Ondimba urged Wednesday in Kasane (Botswana), African states to strengthen South-South cooperation in the fight against illegal trade in fauna and flora, the occasion of the conference on the scourge which ends on Thursday, said a statement from the presidency of the Republic to APA received a copy Thursday.
“Gabon is facing challenges in the fight against poaching, made ??even more difficult by the human-wildlife conflict, conflict, on the other hand, complicates efforts to raise awareness for the protection of elephants due to destruction of plantations in rural areas of Gabon,” said Ali Bongo Ondimba, inviting States and partners to act on this problem that many African countries are experiencing.
Other speakers at the meeting of Botswana acknowledged that poaching and illegal wildlife trade have taken unprecedented proportions on the continent.
Since the London Conference, Gabon is pursuing its actions, leading to the process of finalizing a national plan for the protection of elephants, the Penal Code review process to strengthen sanctions against poaching, reflection on national capacities in the fight against illicit trade, strengthening the management of seized ivory stocks, as well as the establishment of a laboratory.
At the international level, Gabon is also continuing its efforts at the United Nations in favor of the passage of a resolution. The country also provides support to African countries most affected by poaching.
Ali Bongo Ondimba, continues the statement, called again the other states present at Kasane to join the London Initiative for the protection of elephants.
One of the last sanctuaries of forest elephants of the countries of the Congo Basin, Gabon hosts more than half of these pachyderms, whose total population is estimated at about 80,000.
From 2004 to 2010, 11,000 elephants were killed at the sole Minkébé National Park in the north of the country on the border with Cameroon and Congo Brazzaville, according to a report from the National Agency of National Parks (ANPN).