02 Oct 2016

Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, Mr Tshekedi Khama, will from today join more than 3 500 delegates, representing member countries to the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wildlife Fauna and Flora (CITES) in South Africa, for the 17th Conference of the Parties (CoP17).

The international wildlife trade conference, which commenced from September 24 was aimed at ensuring that international trade in wild fauna and flora was conducted at sustainable levels.

Wildlife conservation is an integral part of the global ecosystem on which all life depends.

Therefore, success to wildlife conservation could only be achieved when parties to the convention strongly committed to collaborate and cooperate on the fight against illegal wildlife trade or crime, hence the convention.

To achieve a coherent and collaborative approach to protecting wildlife species, which are or can be endangered by unsustainable trade, including those which are commercially exploited, parties and the secretariat have converged at Sandton Convention Centre to further agree on stringent measure that can fight illegal wildlife trade and send clear messages to poachers and smugglers.

Through parties’ cooperation with other relevant international organisations and agreements, dealing with natural resources, wildlife trade can be conducted at sustainable levels.
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international legally binding agreement between governments aimed at ensuring that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.

The agreement, which was concluded on March 3, 1973, works by subjecting international trade in specimens of selected species to certain trade controls.

The species covered by CITES includes species threatened with extinction and those not necessarily threatened with extinction, but in which trade must be strictly regulated in order to avoid utilisation incompatible with their survival.
Other species covered by CITES include those that are protected in at least one country, which has asked other CITES parties for assistance in controlling the trade.

The convention entered into force after ratification or accession by 10 states, on July 1, 1975.
Botswana joined CITES on November 14, 1977 and acceded to the convention on February 2, 1978.

Since its inception, the number of countries that have ratified, approved, accepted or acceded to the convention has continued to increase.

With more than 180 parties, CITES is widely regarded as one of the most important international conservation instruments.

During this period, the CoP has shown to be capable of adapting to changing circumstances and, through the adoption of Resolutions and Decisions, has also demonstrated an ability to construct practical solutions to increasingly complex wildlife trade and conservation problems. Ends