Botswana's Ivory Sale The Best - Auctioneer

Monkagedi Gaotlhobogwe, Mmegi Online

24 November 2008

Graham Philips, an auctioneer with Auctioneers Botswana, says Botswana got the best deal of all the four southern African countries in which CITES-sanctioned ivory sales were recently conducted.

Auctioneers Botswana conducted the sale in Botswana.Philips says Botswana got the best deal after selling 43.3 tons of ivory for US$ 7 million. "The exchange rate was P57 million on the day. And what did South Africa get? They sold 47 million tons of ivory and got US$6.7 million. We believe we got the best deal for Botswana. We got the best deal per kg," Phillips says.

This contrasts with the government's and independent observers' views that the deal could have been better. Fewer companies than expected took part in the bid, resulting in less competition. In an interview after the sale, Botswana's CITES desk officer, Diana Chimidza, said viewed 

against the cost of elephant conservation, the sale was disappointing.Chimidza said ivory sales are expected to improve the lives of people in affected areas and should at least be sufficient to 

cover elephant conservation.

She explained that CITES recommends 70 percent of the money realised for elephant conservation and 30 percent for community development. A trust fund run by an independent board of trustees has been created.Botswana was among four southern African countries recently permitted to trade their ivory stockpiles. Namibia realised only US$1.2 from its seven 

tonnes while South Africa reported US $6.7 million from 47 tonnes and Zimbabwe US$ 480, 000 from 3,764 tonnes.

International analysts say the three countries' returns are just a fraction of the market value of the ivory they sold to buyers from China and Japan.The United Nations' Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora has allowed the four southern African countries to sell their 

ivory stockpiles in a one-off trade, skirting a ban on dealing in the product until 2016.China was approved in July this year as a buyer of legally stockpiled ivory.

To gain approval, China had to convince CITES it had put in place adequate measures to tackle any illegal domestic ivory trade and to regulate legal trade effectively. China was previously barred from participating because of concerns it was buying smuggled ivory. Commercial trade in ivory was banned by CITES in 1989, but in 1999, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe were permitted to make a one-time sale of 50 tonnes to Japan to raise US$5 million for conservation. The transactions were carried under strict conditions.

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