Corruption fuelling ivory trade – study

Sophisticated international trafficking of ivory in central Africa is being fuelled by high levels of corruption, according to a new report. The study by wildlife trade monitoring network Traffic said weak governance, corruption and shifting trade dynamics are seriously undermining efforts to control ivory trafficking throughout Cameroon, the CAR, Congo-Brazzaville, the DRC and Gabon. A report on the News24 site notes that it found that ivory trade in the region is shifting from an open domestic retail market to underground transactions, with a focus on the export of raw ivory to foreign markets, especially China. ‘The report's findings show that open ivory markets in the region are disappearing, largely due to increased enforcement and competition with underground criminal networks,’ Traffic said.