CALL TO THE G20 TO SUPPORT A BAN ON THE INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE TRADE AND AN IMMEDIATE PERMANENT CLOSURE OF WILD ANIMAL MARKETS

THE EMS FOUNDATION AND THE WORLD ANIMAL PROTECTION ORGANISATION ADDRESS A PETITION TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, HIS EXCELLENCY CYRIL RAMAPHOSA, MEMBER OF THE G20 AND CHAIRPERSON OF THE AFRICAN UNION

We, the EMS Foundation and the World Animal Protection – Africa, with the endorsement of the undersigned African organisations, request President Cyril Ramaphosa―as a member of the G20 and as Chairman of the African Union―to support a G20 ban on international wildlife trade and an immediate and permanent closure of wild animal markets.

Scientists agree that a genomic comparison suggests that the SARS-Cov-2 or COVID_19 pandemic is the result of a recombination between two different viruses, meaning that the exact origin of the virus is unclear.

In December 2019, 27 of the first 41 people
hospitalized with the virus passed through a food market located in the heart of Wuhan city in Hubei Province in China. The vendors at this market brought a variety of live wild animals together for purchase, slaughter and consumption. The scientists are still not sure in which animal species the virus occurred, bats and pangolins could both have been the reservoir for the virus.

The COVID_19 pandemic has overwhelmed health systems and economies across the world. The crisis is still affecting the global economic structure in ways that will last for decades to come.

The pandemic has reinforced the importance of physical access to key sources of goods production. More activity will become virtual and therefore global but at the same time the production of physical goods will become national.

All available evidence for COVID_19 suggests that SARS-CoV-2 has a zoonotic source. Since there is usually limited close contact between human and bats, it is more likely that transmission of the virus to humans happened through another species, on that is more likely to be handled by humans.

READ THE FULL LETTER:

This petition is authored and signed by:

Tennyson Williams – Director – World Animal Protection, Africa and Michele Pickover – Director – EMS Foundation

This petition is supported by the following organisations:

Ban Animal Trading – South Africa – Smaragda Louw

Four Paws Animal Welfare Foundation – South Africa – Fiona Miles

Humane Society International – Africa – Tony Gerrans

Future 4 Wildlife – South Africa – Stefania Falcon

Global March for Elephants and Rhinos – South Africa – Megan Carr

Animal Law Reform South Africa – Amy P. Wilson

Baboon Matters – Jenni Trethowan

Beauty Without Cruelty South Africa – Toni Brockhoven

Centre for Animal Rehab and Education – South Africa – Samantha Dewhirst

South Peninsula Customary Khoisan Council – South Africa – Stephen Fritz

Global White Lion Protection Trust – South Africa – Linda Tucker

Institute for Critical Animal Studies Africa – Les Mitchell

Monkey Helpline – South Africa – Steve Smit

Outraged South African Citizens Against Poaching – Kim Da Ribeira

Sea Shepherd South Africa – Prathna Singh

Southern African Fight for Rhinos – Lex Abnett

Vervet Monkey Foundation – South Africa – Dave Du Toit

WildAid Southern Africa – Guy Jennings

African Climate Alliance – South Africa – Said Irux

GFG Environmental Education – South Africa – Jabu Myeni

Parliament for the People, Regenerative Farming and Climate Justice in South Africa – Vivien Law

Youth Climate Group – South Africa – Sera Farista

Southern African Faith Communities Environment Institute – Francesca De Gasparis

Coalition of African Animal Welfare Organisations – South Africa – Rehad Desai

Extinction Rebellion South Africa – Anita Khanna

Panthera Africa – South Africa – Catherine Nyquist and Lizaene Cornwall

Dr Brett Bard – Veterinarian, South Africa

South African Institute for Advanced Constitutional, Public and Human Rights International Law – South Africa – Professor David Bilchitz

Advocates 4 Earth – Green Law Connect, Zimbabwe – Lenin Chisaira

Zimbabwe Elephant Foundation – Nomusa Dube

Elephant Human Relationship Aid, Namibia – Rachel Harris

Dr Ross Harvey – Environmental Economist, Botswana

Hands-Off Fernkloof, South Africa – Peter Hodgskin

Mutare SPCA, Zimbabwe – Lynne James

WildlfeDirect, Kenya – Dr Paula Kahumbu

Lawyers for Animal Protection in Africa – Jmi Karani

Conservation Kenya – Dr Winnie Kiiru

Africa Network for Animal Welfare, Kenya – Kahindi Lekalhaile

Giorgio Lombardi – Vogelgat Nature Reserve – South Africa

Advocate 4 Earth, Zimbabwe – Linda Masudze

Bring the Elephant Home – South Africa – Antoinette van de Water

Professor Dan Wylie – Rhodes University – South Africa

IMAGE CREDIT:
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/international-summit/2020/11/21-22/

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