Masebo attends London Conference on Illegal wildlife trade

15/02/2014

Tourism and Arts, Minister of Sylvia Masebo, has told the London Conference on Illegal wildlife Trade that the Patriotic Front (PF) government has put in place a range of measures that are delivering noticeable results in the crusade to combat illegal wildlife hunting and trafficking.

In her submission to the conference that ended in London on the 13th of February, Ms. Masebo said one of the most significant measures introduced last year include the suspension of hunting concessions in order to increase the number wildlife especially the big cats.

Ms. Masebo has disclosed that Zambia is in the process of strengthening the institutions responsible for wildlife management.

She notes that said Zambia is also striving to achieve a solution that balances human and wildlife needs by developing sustainable ecotourism and cultivating organic niche crops.

The Tourism Minister also held a bilateral meeting with the UK Minister for International Development Ms. Lynne Featherstone, tackling a ranger of tourism issues of mutual interest to Zambia and the UK.

The London Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade was held at Lancaster House in London and attended by Prince Charles and his sons Prince William and Prince Harry, the presidents of Botswana, Gabon, Chad, Tanzania, and other high-level dignitaries from 46 countries.

UK Foreign Secretary, Mr. William Hague, said he believed the unprecedented high-level event in London would turn out to be a historic conference and a turning point in the fight against illegal trade, which is worth up to 12 billion British pounds a year and the fourth most valuable to crime after human trafficking, the arms trade and drugs.

This is contained in a statement released to Qfm news this morning by press secretary in Zambia’s mission in the UK Amos Chanda.