African Union Imposes Ban On Donkey Skin Trade

African Union Imposes Ban On Donkey Skin Trade:

African Union imposes historic ban on cruel donkey skin trade.

• Demand for the animals’ skins is fuelled by the popularity of an ancient Chinese medicine called Ejiao, traditionally made from donkey hides.
• About two-thirds of world’s estimated population of 53 million donkeys are in Africa.
• People in the poorest, rural communities use them for transport and to carry water, food and other goods.
• Donkey slaughter for its skin has eroded livelihoods in Africa, robbing the continent of its culture, biodiversity and identity.

African Union (AU):

• The African Union (AU), officially launched in 2002, is a continental body consisting of 55 member states located on the continent of Africa.
• It serves as the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was established from 1963 to 1999.
• The AU’s primary goal is to propel a united continent toward peace and prosperity.
• It supports political and economic integration among its 54 member nations, aiming to boost development, eradicate poverty, and bring Africa into the global economy.
• The AU’s secretariat, known as the African Union Commission, is based in Addis Ababa.
• The largest city within the AU is Lagos, Nigeria, while the largest urban agglomeration is Cairo, Egypt.