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manage and control their elephant populations. That is why I acknowledged in Kyoto that the burden of conserving elephants for all our children should not fall on African countries alone. I was therefore very pleased to be able to announce during the conference that the Government were committing an additional £600,000 to support a number of elephant conservation projects in Africa.

Following the conference, we were able to establish a close and constructive dialogue with African countries with strategically important elephant populations, and with conservation groups experienced in setting up and managing elephant conservation projects. As a result, we identified worthwhile projects to strengthen the capacity of African wildlife departments to combat poaching, and to assist local communities to develop conservation measures.

We have provided support for, among others, the wildlife species protection department in Zambia ; the Botswana wildlife department, to purchase equipment needed for anti-poaching activities ; and a project to involve local communities more closely in the conservation and management of desert elephants in Namibia. We are also co-financing non-governmental organisations in the community-level Campfire programme of wildlife conservation in Zimbabwe. The support of local people in Africa is vital if long-term protection for endangered wildlife is to be sustained.

More generally, since 1990 the Government have contributed nearly £20 million to wildlife conservation projects in Africa through the overseas aid programme, many of which contribute directly or indirectly to elephant conservation.

Good progress has been made since the introduction of the CITES ivory trade ban at the beginning of 1990. The market for ivory has collapsed, and elephant poaching has been dramatically reduced. Elephant

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populations are recovering. However, poaching is still not under control in a number of African countries--hence the fears of many that a resumption of legal trade in elephants, without watertight controls, could provide a cover for illegitimate activities. The continuing and appalling decline of rhino populations in Africa is testimony to that.

We have therefore welcomed moves to improve cross-border co-operation and the exchange of intelligence on the illegal wildlife trade. A conference held in Lusaka in December last year, attended by law enforcement experts from a number of African countries and other interested governmental and non-governmental agencies--including our Overseas Development Administration--proposed the establishment of a task force of law enforcement officers from a number of African countries to investigate and smash criminal networks involved in illegal wildlife trafficking. Negotiations on that proposal are continuing, and we very much hope that they will be successfully concluded during the course of 1994.

We have, I believe, demonstrated our commitment by providing cash for elephant conservation projects, and through the prominent part that we have played--and will continue to play--in international efforts to promote dialogue, improve understanding and develop consensus. We have always made it clear that we shall seek to maintain the ivory trade ban for as long as necessary ; however, trade bans alone cannot guarantee the elephant's survival. We shall continue to work constructively with African elephant range states, our EC partners, NGOs, other CITES parties and national and international conservation bodies that share our concern for the future of these magnificent creatures, described by John Donne as "nature's great masterpiece".

Question put and agreed to.

Adjourned accordingly at four minutes past Two o'clock.

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