EU Taxpayers Contributing to Wildlife Slaughter & Bushmeat Trade

EU taxpayers may be inadvertantly contributing to the slaughter of wildlife and the bushmeat trade (You could be unknowingly contributing!) The EU recently funded the upgrade of a road in Cameroon that runs from the rainforest into the towns. Before, this road was not easy to travel, however now it provides poachers with an easy route into the rich inner forest.
One hunter was quoted as saying: “It helps us, without it the route has lots of obstacles.  It helps the traders too as they can get to the main poaching areas and back by night now, without being caught by officials.”

The reason for this mishap is that the EU did not conduct an environmental assessment on the road before completion. As it was ‘only an upgrade’ they did not see it as necessary. However the EU is very withdrawn from everyday life in such areas as Cameroon, and probably don’t understand the repercussions of certain actions.