The presidents of the Republic of Congo and Chad have set fire to five tons of ivory seized from poachers to mark their commitment to fighting poaching.

A stockpile of ivory tusks.

A stockpile of ivory tusks. Image by USFWS Mountain-Prairie / CC BY 2.0

The burning took place on the sidelines of International Conference on the Illegal Exploitation and Illegal Trade in Wild Flora and Fauna in Africa.

The United Nations Development Programme said today that leaders are drafting the first pan-African strategy to combat the illicit trade in flora and fauna, which will be presented to the African Union.

Republic of Congo President Denis Sassou N’Guesso said poaching is one of the most savage practices of the time, slashing the continent’s elephant population from more than one million in 1980 to 450,000.

Chadian President Idriss Deby called for international co-ordination to stop poaching.

(Press Association)