Togo cosponsors proposal to review commercial whaling ban

Togo has joined forces with Antigua and Barbuda in proposing a review of commercial whaling quotas. This proposal was presented for discussion at the forthcoming 70th meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), taking place from September 27 to October 2. Notably, Togo was the sole African nation to endorse this proposal.

However, the move has sparked criticism from whale conservation groups. The West and Central African Coalition for Whales, which promotes communication among African nations regarding whaling issues, has expressed concern over the resolution. They argue that it contradicts the priorities of West and Central African countries, which have no commercial whaling practices and face urgent problems such as bycatch, habitat degradation, and the preservation of marine ecosystems.

A wildlife conservation expert from Senegal, Colonel Abba Sonko, pointed out that the resolution is difficult to align with these priorities. While the IWC imposed a global moratorium on whale exploitation in 1986, setting catch limits for all whales to zero, a few countries, such as Japan, Norway, and Iceland, continue to engage in whaling activities.

This isn't the first time an African country has backed a review of whaling; Senegal, Guinea, and Côte d'Ivoire have also supported similar proposals in the past and played a crucial role in obstructing the establishment of a South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary between Latin America and Africa.