Conference on illegal Wildlife trade kicks off in UK

Kenya's First Lady Margaret Kenyatta in UK for Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference

NAIROBI, KENYA: First Lady Margaret Kenyatta has arrived in the United Kingdom to attend the fourth London Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT).

The First Lady, who is the patron of the “Hands Off Our Elephants” initiative, is leading the Kenyan delegation at the high-level London conference.

The “Hands Off Our Elephants” initiative is a broad-based wildlife conservation campaign that targets to curb poaching in Kenya.

The London conference, hosted by the UK Government, brings together global leaders to discuss strategies that will strengthen national and transnational efforts to end illegal wildlife trade and protect the world’s most iconic species from the threat of extinction.

Prime Minister Theresa May will open the two-day conference being held at the Battersea Evolution in London on Thursday, 11th October 2018.

The Department for International Development on Sunday, October 7, launched a major push to find new ways of tackling the illegal wildlife trade by providing £6 million to protect some of the world’s most iconic and endangered species including rhinos, elephants and pangolins.

During the conference, First Lady will also attend the Elephant Protection Initiative’s consultative group meeting, one of the key segments of the IWT.

The Elephant Protection Initiative (EPI) is Africa’s indigenous response to the elephant crisis. Kenya is a key member of the EPI and plays a leading role in the global fight against illegal ivory trade.

On arrival at Heathrow Airport in London, First Lady Margaret Kenyatta was received by senior officials of the UK Government and the Kenyan High Commission staff in London.