Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) – Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta led celebrations to mark the African Environment Day Tuesday with the burning of one of the largest ivory hauls to denounce trade in illicit wildlife trophies.
The celebration of the Africa Environment and Wangari Maathai Day, which is also the World Wildlife Day, was attended by senior African Union (AU) and UN officials in Nairobi.
The ivory stack went up in flames at the Nairobi National Park, witnessed by United Nations Agencies in Nairobi, International environmental organizations, representatives of the Diplomatic Missions and other key stakeholders in environmental conservation.
“It is an occasion for all of us to reflect on our splendid natural heritage and our obligation to protect it for posterity,” President Kenyatta said.
The AU designated March 3, as Wangari Maathai Day, to be observed annually and throughout the continent in conjunction with the Africa Environment Day.
The decision was in recognition of the numerous environmental challenges confronting the continent.
President Kenyatta said over the years, the environmental challenges have been aggravated by loss of biological diversity, climate change and desertification.
Photo: Billion tree campaign
