Illegal ivory on sale in Africa
Illegally obtained ivory is being openly sold in many African countries, despite recent pledges to clamp down on the trade, say conservation groups.
Traffic, a network monitoring the trade, said the quantities available showed most came from illegal sources.
It said hundreds of ivory items were on sale in airport duty-free shops in Mozambique and is calling for tougher action at a Geneva meeting this week.
Ivory is also widely available in Egypt, most from Sudan, it said.
Traffic said it wants the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) to toughen plans for a clampdown on domestic ivory markets.
“Mozambique has ignored numerous opportunities to stop this violation of Cites but continues to allow illegal ivory trade with impunity,” said Tom Milliken of Cites.
“It’s time to take decisive action and send a real message,” he added.
Strict curbs on the ivory trade have been in place for 16 years, following after a big increase in poaching in the 1970s and 1980s.