China's diplomatic clout1 will re-energize the push for a total ban on ivory trade during the upcoming Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species (CITES), Kenyan officials said on Monday.
肯尼亚官方周一表示,中国的外交影响力将推动即将到来的濒临绝种野生动植物国际贸易公约对象牙贸易实行完全禁止。
Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Natural Resources Judi Wakhungu said Kenya is counting on China to back its push for a total ban on ivory trade at the CITES meeting to be held in Johannesburg from Sept. 24 to Oct. 5.
Kenya has developed fourteen proposals that call for concerted efforts to protect rare
flora2 and
fauna3 from
extinction4 linked to human actions and climate shocks.
According to Wakhungu, Kenya will lobby the international community to lift the status of African elephant from Appendix two to one, given the grave threats facing the giant mammals.
"A
coalition5 of 28 African elephant range states has supported our proposal calling for
renowned6 attention to the
dire7 plight8 of these mammals linked to poaching," said Wakhungu.
"The presidents of China and the United States last year made a commitment to promote wildlife protection in Africa. We are hopeful this gesture will inject fresh
impetus9 in the push for total ban on ivory trade in both domestic and overseas markets," Wakhungu said.