Namibia is pinning its hopes on the upcoming COP20 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) for approval to legally sell some of its ivory stocks. A formal proposal has already been submitted. The summit will take place in Uzbekistan from November 24 to December 5. According to the proposal submitted by Namibia, the country currently has just over 92 386 kg of ivory with a value of about N$166 million. The ivory comes from population management and seizures, about half each. Namibia does not destroy its ivory. "With this proposal, Namibia wants to trade an existing stock of 46 268 kg of registered raw ivory (whole teeth and pieces) of Namibian origin and owned by the government for commercial purposes," the request reads. The document further states that the ivory stock accumulated from elephants that died of natural causes, as well as through management practices. According to Namibia's proposal, trade will be conducted with partners approved by the CITES Secretariat to have adequate national legislation and domestic trade controls to ensure that ivory imported from Namibia will not be re-exported. It will also be managed in accordance with all requirements regarding domestic production and trade. Namibia has been engaged in legal international trade in ivory since 1985, in 1999 and in 2008, as a highly regulated export totalling 19 870 kg to Japan and China. On both occasions, the CITES Secretariat confirmed that the trade had taken place successfully and that there had been complete compliance with all precautions.