At last the South African government is taking a firm stance on educating countries in the Far East that rhino horn doesn’t cure ailments like erectile dysfunction.

A deal will shortly be signed between South Africa and Vietnam that will see the Asian country be the first in the Far East to take steps against cultural practices that have increased the poaching of rhinos in South Africa (home to an estimated population of nearly 23 000, or 90% of the world’s rhino population).

The agreement will also help to clamp down on rhino poaching and the illegal trade in rhino horn. The countries have previously met to discuss ways in which they could work together to reduce poaching.

After a meeting on Friday, Deputy International Relations and Co-operation Minister Ebrahim Ebrahim and Vietnam’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Le Luong Minh said that both countries were ready to sign a memorandum of understanding.

This memorandum of understanding would cover issues such as bilateral co-operation in criminal investigations, the sharing of details of legal rhino hunts involving Vietnamese nationals, and public awareness and education in Vietnam on the endangered status of rhinos and that the horn is not medically proven to do anything for the human body or any of its ailments.

Vietnam is one of the most well-known destinations for a large proportion of illegal rhino horn poached in South Africa, and it also posted the highest wildlife crime score in the WWF’s 2012 Wildlife Crime Scorecard report released in July.

Mr Minh said:

If there were no species killed, [their products] would not be in the market.

He said the Vietnamese government believed responsibility for wildlife deaths should be shared.

The ministers haven’t said exactly when the deal will be signed, but the agreement goes a long way to ensuring the countries in the Far East start understanding their responsibilities when it comes to poaching such as the tackling of misinformed cultural practices.

[Source: Business Day]