An African trip that will also include stops in Rwanda and Kenya
On 22 September, Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks will begin a one-week trip that will take her to three African countries. Her trip will focus especially on issues of species and nature conservation, anti-poaching activities and restoration of forest lands. Over the course of the week, Hendricks will visit South Africa, Rwanda and Kenya.
In the South African city of Johannesburg, Hendricks will take part in the 17th Conference of the Parties (CoP) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the agenda for which includes important decisions on protection for endangered plant and animal species. A number of African countries have submitted proposals calling for the lifting of bans on trade in ivory and rhino horn. Prior to her departure, Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks made it clear that such proposals had no chance whatsoever of being supported by Germany.
"We are strongly in favour of upholding the current bans on trade in ivory and rhino horn. In light of the fact that poaching is out of control, any relaxation of the bans would send a completely wrong signal. We thus oppose the proposals submitted by Swaziland regarding rhino-horn trade, by Zimbabwe and Namibia concerning the resumption of ivory trade, and by South Africa regarding the introduction of a trade mechanism," Hendricks stated.
Germany's primary focus in connection with the CITES conference is on measures to combat poaching, especially the poaching of elephants. In addition, the German delegation plans to work for measures to contain the growing trade in amphibians and reptiles. Still another important concern of the German Government is for the CITES Convention to serve as an instrument for making the timber industry more sustainable. An enormous demand for tropical timber species, served by international trading, is accelerating tropical deforestation.
In keeping with the importance of efforts to combat poaching, Hendricks will visit relevant projects, in South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal) and in Kenya (near Amboseli National Park), that are being financed by Germany. The projects are placing special priority on engaging the local populations as key nature conservation partners. "These projects combine anti-poaching activities with measures that generate income and encourage the participation of the local population. This is the right approach, and it's one I want to highlight with my visit," Hendricks noted. In Rwanda, the second stop on her trip, the minister will focus especially on forest issues. Plans call for trilateral talks on reforestation to be held, at Rwanda's invitation, with the environment minister of Rwanda, Vincent Biruta, and the environment minister of El Salvador, Lina Pohl. The talks will focus especially on the implementation of Rwandan afforestation projects in the framework of the "Bonn Challenge," an international action platform founded in 2011, in the city of Bonn, for the restoration of forest lands. Hendricks: "Rwanda is well on the way to becoming a shining example in the area of protecting and restoring forests. And Germany is supporting its efforts financially, with 14 million euros of funding from my ministry's International Climate Initiative."
In Rwanda, Hendricks will also visit an important project for the protection of the country's rare mountain gorillas. With the help of sustainable tourism, and the involvement of the nearby population, the efforts underway have been succeeding, for many years now, in protecting this primate species from extinction and keeping the population stable. Hendricks: "This project is a model for other regions in Central and West Africa, and it deserves special attention. I am strongly interested in learning more about such projects and their local players, with a view to strengthening cooperation for biodiversity conservation in Africa, i.e. for an issue that also vitally concerns us here in Europe."
In Nairobi/Kenya, the final stop on her trip, Hendricks will meet for talks with the Executive Directors of two UN programs: Erik Solheim (UNEP) and Joan Clos (UN-Habitat). Hendricks: "Germany is very interested in further developing and strengthening the impact and effectiveness of UNEP and UN-Habitat."