The Community Leaders Network of Southern Africa (CLN) has participated in various national, regional and international fora during the year 2022, leaving significant impacts at every one of them. All these activities are in line with CLN’s mandate of ensuring that community members who actually live with wildlife on a daily basis are consulted in all decisions regarding management of wildlife and other natural resources. Community members participated at events such as CITES CoP19, CBD CoP15, APAC, UNEA 5 – amongst others.
Detailed report of activities can be accessed here: CLN Annual Report 2022
The Cost of Living with Wildlife
As narrated by Mr. Liberty Chauka – Zimbabwe
One day as we were walking in the forest, a raucous high-pitched sound of hadida ibises disturbed the feeding pride of lions as we were approaching close by. This was followed by the grumbling of lions that were feeding on our cattle. Fortunately, we were a group of young boys and two men, and we managed to chase them and recovered the livestock carcass.
Quote from Sir Bill Wiggin during the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill debate in the UK House of Commons – 25 Nov 2022
“We need to appreciate what it is like to live with large and dangerous or endangered species. We cannot expect people in rural Africa to have the same views on this subject as the voters in, say, Crawley. That is why telling Africans—however we choose to cushion the message—how to manage their wildlife is fundamentally wrong, post-colonial and possibly racist, and I cannot stand by and allow this to go uncriticised”
Southern Africa meets resistance to proposals on communities and wildlife trade
- Countries in the Southern African Development Council (SADC) are pushing
to incorporate rural communities and their livelihoods in decisions about the
international trade of wildlife. - While they have met resistance to their proposals from other countries, SADC
governments have showcased how working alongside their communities can
achieve conservation and sustainable development goals. - Community representatives from Southern Africa who attended CITES made
interventions in support of their governments’ position.
Please see report from the joint participation of CLN and Resource Africa at the 5th meeting of the United Nations Environment Assembly.
See full report here CLN@UNEA 5 RAUK and CLN
Please download Position Paper on CITES CoP19 here: Position paper for CITES final