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<p> </p><p /> <p>The Government warmly welcomes the Elephant Protection Initiative
(EPI), launched at the London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade in February
2014 by the Presidents of Botswana, Chad, Gabon and Tanzania, and the Foreign Minister
of Ethiopia.</p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p>Through the EPI,
these Governments are committing to:</p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p> </p><p
/> <p>· observing an extended moratorium on consideration of future international
ivory trade</p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p>· closing domestic ivory markets</p><p /> <p>
</p><p /> <p>· putting all ivory stockpiles (both seized ‘illegal' and ‘legal' ivory
accrued from elephant mortality) beyond economic use.</p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p> </p><p
/> <p> </p><p /> <p>In response to these bold commitments, the EPI is intended to
provide participating Governments with access to a fund to support the implementation
of the measures contained in the Africa Elephant Action Plan. The UK Government has
committed to supporting this fund, in the first instance by matching the first tranche
of private sector funding amounting to around £1m.</p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p> </p><p
/> <p> </p><p /> <p>The text of the Elephant Protection Initiative can be accessed
through the following link: <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/news/decisive-action-agreed-on-illegal-wildlife-trade"
target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/news/decisive-action-agreed-on-illegal-wildlife-trade</a>.</p><p>
</p><p> </p>
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