By RFIPalled on 28-08-2019Modified on 28-08-2019 at 18:58

Fighting the sixth mass extinction is what CITES, the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species, has tried to do. Meeting for the last ten days at a summit in Geneva, its member states have decided to better protect emblematic animals, such as elephants and giraffes. An overall assessment welcomed by NGOs. Only discordant voice: that of the countries of southern Africa, who threatened to slam the door of the next meetings.

With our correspondent in Geneva, Jérémie Lanche

Revising the list of the 36,000 CITES-listed wildlife species in just ten days means that the project was colossal. But the bet was successful, in the opinion of the organizers. Among the animals whose protection has been strengthened are sharks, reptiles, giraffes and elephants .

It is this last point that has been most contested. Ten African countries, including Zimbabwe, have suggested that they could leave CITES after the convention's refusal to lift trade restrictions on elephants and ivory . A threat that does not worry David Morgan, the CITES Secretariat.

" We have 183 countries that are members of the convention," says David Morgan. If a country leaves the convention, it will not have many partners to start a [threatened] trade. Personally, I've heard this type of speech for 25 years, so it's not new. My first experience was in 1982 : Zimbabwe at the time made the same observation and Zimbabwe is still there, still an active member and I think it should continue like this. "

The flora is not left behind. CITES has also decided to limit the trafficking of several tropical woods, such as African rosewood, which is very popular in China. The next meeting of the Convention will be held in 2022 in Costa Rica.

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