HARARE - Poaching ivory is illegal, in all cases and throughout Zimbabwe, contrary to some reports in the media.Stories suggesting that Zimbabwe had been given the green light by CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) to continue to sell ivory were totally incorrect, an inside source told The Zimbabwean this week.
At a recent CITES meeting, held in Doha, Qatar, Zimbabwe did not have any proposal on the table seeking approval to trade in ivory. In fact, Zimbabwe is bound by a moratorium that does not permit any further ivory trade for nine years. Zimbabwe is not even permitted to reapply for permission to trade in ivory until the year 2017.
The same applies to South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. Only Tanzania and Zambia applied to the recent CITES meeting for permission to trade. Both applications were rejected.