ZAMBIA, OTHERS MOOT TO SET UP PARALLEL IVORY TRADE BODY

ZAMBIA is reported to be among the four Southern African nations that are considering breaking away from the United Nations’ Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species to set up a parallel organisation to allow trade in ivory.

According to a Bloomberg report, officials from Zimbabwe, Namibia,

Zambia and Botswana have been meeting to look at alternate strategies to

CITES.

Zambian authorities have indicated that the country is stuck with over 52 tonnes of both legal and illegal ivory worth over US$ 100 million because of the worldwide trade ban of the commodity.

Some of the ivory was confiscated from poachers by the authorities but that some was collected from elephants that died on their own.

When contacted, Ministry of Tourism and Arts Public Relations Officer, Sikabilo Kalembwe said Government was in hurry to dispose of the ivory because they loss value when they overstay.

Mr Kalembwe said some of Zambia’s ivory had been in warehouses for decades.

The Southern African countries which are home to more than half of the world’s African elephants have urged the global organisation to end a ban on trade in tusks, as it seeks to deal with over-population of the animals.

According to the report, the countries discussed the possible establishment of something like the Kimberley Process.

Set up in 2003, the Kimberley Process is an organisation of companies and governments that aims to prevent the trade in conflict diamonds.

Member states must certify that the proceeds of diamond shipments won’t be used to finance conflicts and commit to transparent practices.

Efforts to get a comment from the Ministry of Tourism proved futile by press time.