A hundred and one African wildlife experts have objected to a resolution by several West African nations supporting commercial whaling as a method of dealing with food insecurity.
The Republic of Guinea submitted the resolution, which is supported by the following nations:
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea-Bissau
- The Republic of Congo
- Senegal
In addition, several other West African countries have been instrumental in blocking several measures aimed at establishing a whale sanctuary in the South Atlantic. Some of the tactics used include walking out of meetings to prevent a forum from being formed since they knew they would lose the vote.
In a letter signed by the experts, they were scathing in their condemnations:
“Such anti-democratic practices aimed at preventing a legitimate vote dishonors our countries.”
While Guy Aimé Florent Malanda, the Director of Wildlife and Protected Areas and Deputy Head of the CITES Management Authority for Congo, added:
“It is unconscionable that Congo would support a pro-whaling resolution at the IWC when it contradicts the Republic’s own laws and regulations prioritizing the conservation of biodiversity in general and whales in particular. It also undermines the Head of State’s leadership on protection of biodiversity throughout the world, and the positions taken by the country in other multilateral environmental agreements. Whales are more valuable alive than dead. They enhance ecosystem productivity and help combat climate change. They have never been a staple of the Congolese diet.”
