South Sudan has officially joined the Elephant Protection Initiative, a program aimed at protecting elephants in Africa.

The EPI is an African-led conservation program to eradicate the ivory trade and stop the continued slaughter of the continent’s elephants by poachers.

In October, the Council of Ministers approved the proposal of joining the body.

The program calls for elephant range states, partner states, NGOs among others, to work together to deliver a comprehensive, cohesive response to the elephant crisis in African countries.

“The EPI brings African elephant range states, non-range states in the governmental organizations, NGOs, private sector and private citizens together to protect one of the, if not, the most iconic and remarkable animals that roam the forests and plains of Africa,” said Albert Schenk, country director for the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Mr Albert said there are more than 2,000 elephants in South Sudan.

The EPI was launched by leaders from Botswana, Chad, Ethiopia, Gabon, and Tanzania, with the support of the British Government and the UK-registered charity Stop Ivory.

Uganda, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi and the Gambia have since also joined.