Botswana is hosting a major meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) from September 23 to 26, 2024, focusing on the contentious issue of trading live African elephants. The dialogue, which will be held in Maun, aims to address the complex challenges surrounding the trade of live elephants—a topic that has sparked intense debate among conservationists, governments, and local communities.
CITES has informed its member countries and stakeholders of the upcoming meeting, emphasizing its importance in balancing conservation efforts with the economic needs of elephant range states. Representatives from various countries, non-governmental organizations, and wildlife experts are expected to attend, seeking a solution that protects the species while considering economic realities.
The African elephant range states have already agreed to participate, along with technical experts from the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) African Elephant Specialist Group and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), who serve as resource persons for the African Elephant Fund Steering Committee. The African Union Commission will also observe the meeting.
In a recent statement, CITES noted that while all African elephant range states were invited, not all can be fully represented due to funding limitations. “The Secretariat regrets that participation will not be extended to other African Parties due to funding constraints,” CITES said. However, it welcomed additional contributions from donor parties to enable full representation.
Discussions will cover a broad range of issues, including the harmonization of trade conditions for live African elephants. Attendees will also review the implementation of the revised African Elephant Action Plan (AEAP), approved in 2022, which guides conservation efforts for the species.
One key topic will be the sustainable financing of African elephant conservation and management. The administration of the African Elephant Fund, access to funding, and the non-commercial disposal of ivory stockpiles will also be discussed. Additionally, the meeting aims to foster regional coordination among range states to improve the cohesion of conservation efforts across the continent.
Both open and closed sessions will be held, and CITES will release an official communiqué summarizing the outcomes of the dialogue, including potential proposals for future policies.
