| 10.2 (Rev. CoP11) |
a) |
The African elephant range States recognize:
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i) the threats that stockpiles pose to sustainable legal trade;
ii) that stockpiles are a vital economic resource for them;
iii) that various funding commitments were made by donor countries
and agencies to offset the loss of assets in the interest of unifying these
States regarding the inclusion of African elephant populations in Appendix I;
iv) the significance of channelling such assets from ivory into improving
conservation and community-based conservation and development programmes;
v) the failure of donors to fund elephant conservation action plans
drawn up by the range States at the urging of donor countries and conservation
organizations; and
vi) that, at its ninth meeting, the Conference of the Parties directed
the Standing Committee to review the issue of stockpiles and to report back
at the 10th meeting. |
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b) |
Accordingly, the African elephant range States
agree that all revenues from any purchase of stockpiles by donor countries
and organizations will be deposited in and managed through conservation
trust funds, and that: |
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i) |
such funds shall be managed by Boards of Trustees
(such as representatives of governments, donors, the CITES Secretariat,
etc.) set up, as appropriate, in each range State, which would direct the
proceeds into enhanced conservation, monitoring, capacity building and local
community-based programmes; and |
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ii) |
these funds must have a positive rather than
harmful influence on elephant conservation. |
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c) |
It is understood that this decision provides
for a one-off purchase for non-commercial purposes of government stocks
declared by African elephant range States to the CITES Secretariat within
the 90-day period before the transfer to Appendix II of certain populations
of the African elephant takes effect. The ivory stocks declared should be
marked in accordance with the ivory marking system approved by the Conference
of the Parties in Resolution Conf. 10.10 (Rev. CoP14)1.
In addition, the source of ivory stocks should be given. The stocks of ivory
should be consolidated in a pre-determined number of locations. An independent
audit of any declared stocks shall be undertaken under the auspices of TRAFFIC
International, in cooperation with the CITES Secretariat. |
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d) |
The African elephant range States that have not
yet been able to register their ivory stocks and develop adequate controls
over ivory stocks require priority assistance from donor countries to establish
a level of conservation management conducive to the long-term survival of
the African elephant. |
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e) |
The African elephant range States therefore urge
that this matter be acted upon urgently since any delays will result in
illegal trade and the premature opening of ivory trade in non-proponent
range States. |
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f) |
This mechanism only applies to those range States
wishing to dispose of ivory stocks and agreeing to and participating in: |
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i) |
an international system for reporting and monitoring
legal and illegal international trade, through an international database
in the CITES Secretariat and TRAFFIC International; and |
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ii) |
an international system for reporting and monitoring
illegal trade and illegal hunting within or between elephant range States,
through an international database in the CITES Secretariat, with support
from TRAFFIC International and institutions such as the African Elephant
Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission and the Lusaka
Agreement. |
list of all CoP14 Decisions