Swaziland to ask UN body to sell its rhino horn stockpile

Stockpiles of Elephant and Rhino horns stacked at Kenya Wildlife Services headquarters' stores. President Uhuru Kenyatta will burn the tonnes of ivories on April 31. [Photo: James Mwangi]

Swaziland has submitted a proposal to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to sell its rhino horn stocks to help pay for anti-poaching efforts, according to a copy of the submission obtained by Reuters.

Swaziland’s bid is a surprise after neighbouring South Africa, which will host the next major CITES conference in September, decided not to push to loosen a global ban in trade in rhino horn in force since 1977.