UK-based donkey and horse charity Brooke is today celebrating a huge step forward for donkey welfare after African nations agreed to support a ban on the donkey skin trade (https://www.thebrooke.org/our-work/donkey-skin-trade).

The declaration was adopted at the Pan Africa Donkey Conference (https://panafricandonkeyconference.org) in Cote D'Ivoire on Friday, where Brooke staff convinced African leaders to vow to enforce the existing ban.

The leaders also pledged to step up checks at ports and borders by bringing in regional task forces of police, vets and customs and to share intelligence, increase investment in breeding donkeys at community level to rebuild herds lost to the trade, and to supporting alternative livelihoods.

Brooke revealed earlier this week that unless the cruel trade is stopped, Africa will lose half of its donkey population (https://www.thebrooke.org/news/africa-could-lose-half-its-donkeys-2040).

We have been tirelessly fighting the donkey skin trade and this is a huge step forward for donkeys.

A report by Brooke (attached) shows that communities who relied on their donkeys to survive are now plunging deeper into poverty. Children have stopped going to school as they now have to carry water for much of the day to help their families.

"We have made history by committing to the end of the trade across Africa. We will not stop fighting until this trade is ended and donkeys are once again safe and children can again go to school. "Chris Wainwright, CEO of Brooke

Chris Wainwright, CEO of Brooke, added: “I am confident that this strategy will create the required momentum for the implementation of the ban and with it the ultimate preservation and development of the donkey species.

“We are proud to be a partner, co-funder and co-organiser of this conference.

“Donkeys are central to the socio-economic futures of so many communities in Africa.”

Brooke is part of ICWE, which also includes The Donkey Sanctuary (https://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk), World Horse Welfare (https://www.worldhorsewelfare.org) and SPANA (https://spana.org).

"We must speak with one voice, act as one and denounce with all our might to put an end to this despicable trade." Emmanuel Sarr, Regional Director of Brooke West Africa

Emmanuel Sarr, Regional Director of Brooke West Africa, described that acting as one voice to end the trade "is the whole purpose of PADCO - moving from words to action.”

Brooke is also calling for a global ban on the trade and campaigning to reduce consumer demand for donkey skin products (https://www.thebrooke.org/news/amazon-under-pressure-ban-donkey-skin-products), by boycotting platforms selling ejiao.

The conference was organised by the African Union – Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) (https://www.au-ibar.org), which encourages Africa to recognise donkeys as sentient beings who are invaluable to their communities.

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

This Morning’s Dr Scott Miller will be visiting Kenya in July to see Brooke’s work to stop the trade – images and interviews will be available if you’re interested.

B-roll and video footage on Brooke’s work with donkeys in East Africa here: (https://drive.google.com/file/d/15LbfXNkNpSXiEVfTHzSs4zmNR-IoHx5q/view)

Head of Media: Klare Kennett - +44 7590803484

Media and Mobilisation Officer - India.Hurford-Jones@thebrooke.org

About Brooke:

Brooke Action for Working Horses and Donkeys is a U.K. based, global animal health and welfare charity that gives working horses, donkeys and mules a life worth living.

Over 100 million of these animals pull carts, carry goods and work the land, earning an income that around 600 million people rely on to put food on their tables, earn a living and send their children to school. Sadly, many of them are suffering, so Brooke works with owners, communities, service providers, governments and international organisations to make long lasting welfare improvements.

Brooke was founded in 1934 when Dorothy Brooke, a British woman, sought out war horses that had been left in Cairo after the First World War. With support from an appeal letter in the Morning Post newspaper, she set up the Old War Horse Memorial, which became Brooke, and expanded across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Website: www.thebrooke.org

Facebook: thebrookecharity

Twitter: @thebrooke

Instagram @thebrookecharity

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