The Environment and Nature Conservation Minister will jet in the country on Wednesday and will hold talks with the executive directors of UN-HABITAT and UNEP in Nairobi on Thursday.
The visit is part of her trip to three African countries and comes after a number of countries such as Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa, called for the lifting of the ban on trade trade in ivory and rhino horn. Kenya and Germany are against the move.
“We are strongly in favour of upholding the current bans on trade in ivory and rhino horn. In light of the fact that poaching is out of control, any relaxation of the bans would send a completely wrong signal.
“We thus oppose the proposals submitted by Swaziland regarding rhino-horn trade, by Zimbabwe and Namibia concerning the resumption of ivory trade, and by South Africa regarding the introduction of a trade mechanism,” she stated prior to her departure.
The project aims at training community rangers and improving collaboration with their Tanzanian counterparts. Since the project began, no elephant has been poached.
Dr Hendricks will also meet rangers of anti-poaching-brigades from the communities at the Amboseli National Park.