To discourage Ivory trafficking:

Billions worth of Ivory burnt in Yaounde

Over 2000 Elephant Tusks and 1,753 art objects made of Ivory were on 19 April 2016 publicly incinerated in Yaounde

By Ojong Steven Ayukogem in Yaounde

Minister Philip Ngole and Ambassador Samantha Power

granted a press briefing after setting fire on the tusks

The government of Cameroon has publicly destroyed over 3 tonnes of Elephant Tusks and 1,753 art objects made of Ivory as a way of demonstrating its resolve to discourage Elephant poaching and trade in Ivory.

                The Elephant Tusks (2000 in number) and art objects were burnt in an open ceremony at the esplanade of the Yaounde Conference Centre, on 19 April 2016.

                The incineration ceremony that was witnessed by at least 10 government ministers, apart from other Cameroonian dignitaries, was presided over by Cameroon’s minister of Forestry and Wildlife, Philip Ngole Ngwese, in the presence of the Permanent Representative of the USA to the United Nations Her Excellency Samantha Power and the United States Ambassador to Cameroon.

                Speaking on the occasion, the Cameroon Forestry and Wildlife minister said the public incineration was the first in a series of operations aimed to stifle trade in Ivory and Elephant Poaching in Cameroon.

                The minister said by ordering the burning of the tusks and art objects, the president of Cameroon, Paul Biya, was sending a clear signal to poachers and Ivory traffickers that Cameroon’s commitment to combatting criminal poaching and ivory trade has no bounds.

                Philip Ngwese underscored Cameroon’s determination to act in concert with the international community within CITES (Convention on illegal trade in Endangered species of Wild Flora and Fauna) and abide by global and sub-regional agreements duly ratified by Cameroon in the domain of wildlife protection.

                He maintained that Cameroon will not relent in its efforts to combat organized poaching, adding that this will be done in concert with neighbouring countries and other partners.

                “By ordering the burning of Elephant tusks, President Paul Biya seeks to ensure that efforts directed at combatting poaching and illegal trade on Ivory are not frustrated and that seized Ivory does not find its way to the black market,” Philip Ngwese explained, further maintaining that “we would rather step up efforts to protect elephants than live with hunting memories of slaughtered elephants by keeping their tusks.”

                The minister used the opportunity to launch an appeal to the international community to lend assistance to Cameroon’s efforts to combat wildlife crimes. He said such assistance could take the form of providing funds for training, equipment and management of protected areas.

                Also speaking on the occasion, the visiting US Ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, underscored her country’s commitment to partner with Cameroon to defeat not only poachers but the Boko Haram insurgents.

                For his part, the deputy director of the Last Great Ape Association LAGA in Cameroon, Eric Kaba Tah, hailed Cameroonian authorities for taking the bold step of burning the elephant tusks, noting that if such measures are not taken elephants could become extinct in Cameroon and Africa.