One year after being announced by the State Council, a complete ban on the commercial processing and trade of elephant ivory in China takes effect today. China's ban corresponds with the UN's recent warning of a possible localized extinction of elephant populations in Africa. The ban is expected to have a positive impact on wildlife in Kenya. CGTN's Robert Nagila has that story.  

It was one of the most significant decisions in recent times to impact the protection of Africa's elephant population. On December 30th, 2016, China announced it would eliminate the processing and sale of ivory by the end of this year. Months Earlier Kenya had made history, destroying its entire stockpile of more than 100 tonnes of illegal elephant ivory and rhino horn. Kenya welcomed the decision by China and the United States to ban ivory trade. Kenyan Officials credit the ban with a decrease in poaching activity in the country.

PAUL GATHITU, SPOKESPERSON KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE "It made it very difficult for poachers because they have to deal with transiting only to discover where they intended to take the ivory intends to stop."

In 2014 Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang signed a memorandum of understanding that would see China support Kenya's wildlife conservation efforts. Kenya received a donation of 18 vehicles worth close to $700,000, night vision equipment and binoculars towards that effort.

ROBERT NAGILA NAIROBI, KENYA "With ivory markets and transit routes gradually shutting down, Kenya is beginning to reap the benefits. This year, the country has recorded a decline in poaching activity targeting elephants and rhinos, compared to the last three years."

PAUL GATHITU, SPOKESPERSON KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE "Working through Interpol, working through Cities, we were able to put a stop so that people know whatever exit, entry points will be under watch and that's the reason why airports and ports became instrumental. So that when the US and China said we want to put a stop, this was a huge boost."

In 2014, a survey funded by Microsoft founder Paul Allen indicated that almost a third of Africa's Savanah elephants were wiped out between 2007 and 2014, by poachers. Kenya now says it is witnessing an increase in its wildlife population once again. And as the ban on ivory trade by China comes into effect, incidents of poaching maybe few and far between in 2018.