02/05/2016 (Agence Europe) - EU welcomes Kenya's decision to burn entire ivory stockpile. During a ceremony held on Saturday 30 April in Nairobi, following a "Giants' Summit", which brought African heads of state together to discuss ways of ending elephant poaching in Africa. In a joint declaration, the Commissioner for Development, Neven Mimica and his counterpart, Karmenu Vella, responsible for the environment, stated "an estimated 105 t of ivory have been burnt… an important step to protect wildlife has been taken in Kenya… The ongoing slaughter of elements throughout Africa must end. In this regard, we welcome the Leadership Taken by Kenya and by President Uluru Kenyatta". The EU recently developed an action plan to tackle the trafficking of wild species threatened with extinction and promote the conservation of wild species in Africa (see EUROPE 11501 and 11500). (AN)