EU blocks Namibia\'s rhino horn trade proposal

The European Union (EU) has rejected Namibia\'s application to allow strictly controlled trade in rhino horns. Namibia wanted to sell horns from legal sources – such as dead animals or horns cut under supervision, i.e. dehorned horns – in order to generate income for the protection of the animals and thereby weaken the black market. However, the EU remains firm in its rejection and warns that legal trade is more likely to increase demand, encourage poaching and make it easier to smuggle illegal goods into legal channels.



Namibia argues that trade bans strengthen the black market because demand remains while the legal market is blocked. Poaching brings high profits to criminal networks, and regulated trade could create sustainable funding. Conservationists such as Alex Oelofse of HORN are highly critical of the EU, saying that Europe is making decisions from afar without understanding the real challenges on the ground and is preventing African countries from taking effective action against illegal markets.