Namibia wants to sell 46 000 kg of its ivory stockpile
Namibia is pinning its hopes on the upcoming COP20 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) for approval to legally sell a portion of its ivory stockpile.
The summit will take place in Uzbekistan from 24 November to 5 December.
According to the proposal, Namibia currently has just over 92 386 kg of ivory, valued at about N$166 million.
The ivory was stockpiled via population management and seizures, in roughly equal parts. Namibia does not destroy its ivory.
“With this proposal, Namibia seeks to trade in an existing stock of 46 268 kg of registered raw ivory (whole tusks and pieces) of Namibian origin, owned by the government, for commercial purposes,” the document states.
This portion of ivory has accumulated from elephants that died of natural causes and through management interventions, it adds.
The proposal states that trade will be conducted with partners verified by the CITES Secretariat as having adequate national legislation and domestic trade controls.
This is to ensure that ivory imported from Namibia is not re-exported and is managed in line with all requirements governing domestic manufacturing and trade.
Boost local conservation
The current proposal states that all revenue from future ivory sales will be paid into the Game Products Trust Fund and used for elephant conservation as well as for community conservation and development programmes.
The document also highlights the financial and security implications associated with storing ivory stockpiles.
Namibia’s elephant population has grown from an estimated 7 000 in 1990 to more than 25 000 by the end of 2024.
“Namibia has not exploited elephants directly for commercial trade or domestic consumption, except through sport hunting and photographic tourism,” the document underlined.
“It must be emphasised that no elephants have been, or will be, killed specifically to obtain ivory or other products for trade. Ivory is recovered from all recorded natural mortalities, as well as from elephants destroyed as problem animals,” the environment ministry stated.
Click this link to watch a video by the World Wildlife Fund on illegal ivory trade. https://q.my.na/YBWQ
The summit will take place in Uzbekistan from 24 November to 5 December.
According to the proposal, Namibia currently has just over 92 386 kg of ivory, valued at about N$166 million.
The ivory was stockpiled via population management and seizures, in roughly equal parts. Namibia does not destroy its ivory.
“With this proposal, Namibia seeks to trade in an existing stock of 46 268 kg of registered raw ivory (whole tusks and pieces) of Namibian origin, owned by the government, for commercial purposes,” the document states.
This portion of ivory has accumulated from elephants that died of natural causes and through management interventions, it adds.
The proposal states that trade will be conducted with partners verified by the CITES Secretariat as having adequate national legislation and domestic trade controls.
This is to ensure that ivory imported from Namibia is not re-exported and is managed in line with all requirements governing domestic manufacturing and trade.
Boost local conservation
The current proposal states that all revenue from future ivory sales will be paid into the Game Products Trust Fund and used for elephant conservation as well as for community conservation and development programmes.
The document also highlights the financial and security implications associated with storing ivory stockpiles.
Namibia’s elephant population has grown from an estimated 7 000 in 1990 to more than 25 000 by the end of 2024.
“Namibia has not exploited elephants directly for commercial trade or domestic consumption, except through sport hunting and photographic tourism,” the document underlined.
“It must be emphasised that no elephants have been, or will be, killed specifically to obtain ivory or other products for trade. Ivory is recovered from all recorded natural mortalities, as well as from elephants destroyed as problem animals,” the environment ministry stated.
Click this link to watch a video by the World Wildlife Fund on illegal ivory trade. https://q.my.na/YBWQ
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article