Pretoria - Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa says South Africa’s natural assets are an important contributor to the country’s economy, food security and job creation.
The Minister said this on Tuesday when briefing the Foreign Correspondents Association (FCA) on South Africa’s preparations for the meeting of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP17).
The World Wildlife Conference will start at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on Saturday and conclude on 5 October 2016.
About 3 500 delegates, including Ministers and government representatives from the member countries, representatives from Inter-Governmental and Non-Governmental Organisations, Civil Society and other stakeholders are expected to attend the conference.
The Minister said this is the fourth Conference of the Parties to CITES to be held on the African continent since 1975, and the first on the Continent since 2000.
The conference is taking place at the same time as the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York, under the theme “The Sustainable Development Goals: a universal push to transform our world”.
“As you will know, South Africa joined other nations of the world in December 2016 in adopting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“There are strong linkages between the 2030 Agenda and the issues that will come up at CITES COP17, particularly as these relate to sustainable utilisation of natural resources,” said the Minister.
The Minister said game farming, the hunting industry, eco-tourism and bioprospecting play a significant role in the economy.
She said South Africa is a founding member of CITES. The Convention was adopted on 3 March 1973, but only came into force on 1 July 1975.
“Today, 183 Parties are signatory to the Treaty, which aim to ensure that international trade in specimens of listed wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival in the wild,” said the Minister.
She said more than 120 documents will be considered during the Conference. Among these documents, 60 are proposals to amend the lists of species subject to CITES trade controls. This includes proposals submitted by South Africa.
The Minister said the conference will also deliberate on the role of CITES in securing the livelihoods of people living with wildlife and ensuring communities are considered in terms of interventions implemented in terms of the Convention.
She said other issues to be discussed include the legal and sustainable wildlife trade, measures to tackle illicit wildlife trafficking, and enhanced enforcement.
“Controversial and thought-provoking topics, such as interventions to address the poaching of elephant; the proposed listing of elephant, lion, rosewood species and sharks; as well as the illegal trade in rhino horn and pangolin, are probably the areas that will receive the most international and national attention.
“African countries, through their participation in the Conference, have the potential to influence the negotiations. South Africa will support proposals and working documents that promote sustainable use of natural resources, provided they have a scientific basis and are aimed at securing the long term conservation of the species,” said Minister Molewa.
SA to showcase rich biodiversity
She said CITES CoP17 affords South Africa an opportunity to showcase our rich biodiversity and successful conservation initiatives based on sustainable use management practices.
“This has resulted in us becoming one of the leading conservation countries in the world today; having saved species such as the black and white rhino and elephant from near extinction in the past century.
“South Africa’s commitment to conservation includes the sustainable utilisation of natural resources, which contributes to socio-economic development of poor and rural communities. These are priorities outlined in our National Development Plan (NDP). - SAnews.gov.za
