The 17th meeting of the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) will begin in South Africa on Saturday, and will run untill October 5.
CITES is a global agreement among over 180 governments that regulates trade in wild flora and fauna or products derived from them with an aim to ensuring their survival.
The Convention’s regulations only apply to trade between countries. It does not override national legislation or regulate domestic trade in wild species.
The Johannesburg meeting will focus mainly on finding viable solutions for an end to poaching of wild animals, taking a keen interest on elephant and rhino poaching.
An increase in elephant and rhino poaching in Africa in recent years has raised the emotional, ecological and economic stakes in this round of big animal diplomacy.
