Ivory sales to Japan

After nearly a decade ivory tusks will once again be exported from the African continent to the Far East. This comes after the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) decided to temporarily lift the ban, effective today (Thursday).

A spokesperson for Cites in Geneva told IRIN on Thursday that in principle Zimbabwe and Namibia will be allowed to export registered stocks of ivory to Japan. He said a decision on Botswana was expected later on Thursday.

The spokesperson said the countries involved had to fulfill certain conditions, and that Botswana still “had a few things to do” to fully comply with all the conditions laid down.

Cites has agreed to the once-off sale of nearly 60 mt of ivory as part of an effort to raise funds for conservation programmes in Africa.

In the next few months Namibia has been given permission to sell 13.8 mt and Zimbabwe 20 mt of stockpiled ivory and if given the green light Botswana will be allowed to export 25 mt.

The ivory comes from elephants who have either died from natural causes or culled.

The temporary lifting of the ban came after pressure from the three countries in February this year. The three argued that their respective elephant herds had grown so large that they were damaging the environment.

The ban has sparked a mixed reaction amongst conservationists. One conservationist told IRIN that he feared that even though this was a once-off sale it might result in a new demand for ivory and encourage smuggling.

But a spokesperson for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in South Africa said the fund was delighted with the move and supported it fully because it was a sustainable use of a valuable resource and showed scientific-based management.

The total ban in ivory trade came into effect on 18 January 1990;

Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Malawi voted against the resolution on the ban.