The African Elephant Summit in Botswana has produced a major agreement to protect Elephant populations across the continent and to try to halt the illegal ivory trade in nations where it currently flourishes.  Signatory nations include the African sources, the transit points, and the Asian destinations for illegal ivory.

“Now is the time for Africa and Asia to join forces to protect this universally valued and much needed species,” said Botswana President Ian Khama, “If we do not stem the tide, future generations will condemn our unwillingness to act.”

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) agreement has 14 main points – Chief among them is calling on member nations to classify wildlife trafficking as a “serious crime.”  This will activate international law enforcement agreements provided under the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (UNODC).  Authorities will be able to apply penalties such as asset seizure and forfeiture, extradition across borders, other tools to hold criminals accountable for wildlife crime.

The measures were agreed upon by key African elephant range states including Gabon, Kenya, Niger and Zambia and ivory transit states Vietnam, Philippines and Malaysia, and ivory destination states, including China and Thailand, said the IUCN in a statement.

Studies suggest 20 percent of Africa’s elephants could be killed over the next decade if illegal poaching continues at the current rate.