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Environment and tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta has come out strongly against CITES' decision to ban ivory from being sold on international markets. In an interview with New Era on the sidelines of the just-ended KAZA summit in Livingstone, he said if the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) refuses member states to sell off ivory stockpiles, they will withdraw their membership. "If CITES refuses, we have some alternatives and plans. We can go for arbitration.

In early May, the environment ministry's forestry directorate raided farms in the Kunene Region where protected mopane trees are being harvested and exported for charcoal and firewood. Trucks carrying loads of wood and charcoal - without permits to do so - have already been seized, the directorate confirmed. An outraged charcoal producer in the Outjo district, who preferred to remain anonymous, claimed a forestry official threatened him and demanded a bribe from him to not stop his charcoal business.

Sixteen suspects have been arrested in recent days in connection with wildlife crimes and six new cases were registered. According to police statistics ten wildlife products were confiscated, and five firearms and one vehicle were seized. The wildlife products included four pieces of elephant ivory, a pangolin skin, two duiker carcasses, an impala carcass and a warthog carcass. On 5 March two Zambians, an Angolan and a Namibian were arrested at Kongola for illegally hunting protected game.

A Namibian man was arrested last week at Rundu for being in possession of 611 pangolin scales, five pieces of skin and one whole pangolin skin. A total of nine suspects were arrested in connection with wildlife crimes last week and three new cases were registered.

Significant successes, including the arrest of 63 suspects for wildlife-related crimes, have been recorded by anti-poaching units in the Etosha National Park since February last year. This was revealed during a visit to Etosha by police inspector-general Sebastian Ndeitunga, environment minister Pohamba Shifeta and defence minister Penda Ya Ndakolo last Friday.

Six suspects were arrested in connection with wildlife crimes recently and three new cases were opened. This is according to statistics provided by the intelligence and investigation unit within the environment ministry and the protected resources unit in the safety and security ministry.