Namibia represented at International Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade

Hochfeld Elephant still safe
February 10, 2014
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Hochfeld Elephant still safe
February 10, 2014
MCA Namibia hands over tourism projects
February 13, 2014

John Kasaona, a co-director and well-known environmentalist employed at the Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation (IRDNC) in Namibia, is currently in London, attending the London Wildlife Conference.

The conference will be led by the UK government; Prime Minister David Cameron, Foreign Secretary William Hague and Environment Secretary Owen Paterson. The Prince of Wales and The Duke of Cambridge will also be attending. The meeting will bring together non-governmental organisations and other key figures in the preventing the illegal wildlife trade.

John Kasaona

John Kasaona

PROFILE – John Kasaona

Today, he is a guest speaker at the preliminary scientific symposium at the Zoological Society of London, which is being held today and tomorrow, before the London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade 2014 that is taking place on Thursday.

According to many, the world is facing an “unprecedented wildlife crisis, threatening not only the existance of iconic species but the very stability of the countries involved”. (Independent, United Kingdom)

Kasaona is speaking at the two-day  Symposium on International Wildlife Trade. He is one of the experts who has been called upon “to review the lessons learned from existing efforts, and to harness skills from other applicable fields if we are to better understand how to protect the supply and reduce the demand that feeds and drives the illegal trade”.

Kasaona’s talk, which is scheduled to take place today at 11h50. His talk is titled: Protecting wildlife through community-based conservation.

Over 50 states have been invited to the conference. African states make up the bulk of those invited as they are home to some of the key endangered species. China and Vietnam will also be in attendance as they are the major destinations for poached animal products such as ivory and rhino horns.

The London conference, which will focus on elephants, rhinos and tigers, aims to tackle three interlinked aspects of illegal wildlife trade:

  • strengthening law enforcement and the criminal justice system
  • reducing demand for illegal wildlife products
  • supporting the development of sustainable livelihoods for communities affected by the illegal wildlife trade

Speakers programme at the Symposium

 

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