Eleven giant pyres of elephant tusks are going up in flames in Nairobi as Kenya destroyed its vast ivory stockpile, the largest to be burnt by any country in the world.

The ivory expected to burn for several days was torched by President Uhuru Kenyatta, in the presence of representatives from various countries and organisations--including Hellen Clark who is the United Nations Secretary General-designate

“No one and I repeat no one has any business trading in ivory for this trade means death. Death of our elephants and death of our natural heritage,” the head of state said, before he set the tusks on fire at the Nairobi’s national park.

All the leaders at the event had one message--the world must unite in the war against poaching to be able to protect the endangered elephant and rhinos.

“They say Kenya's ivory that we are burning represent 5 per cent of the international stockpile held in Africa both amount to 160 elephants. It is a disgraceful shame that this continues. We will burn our ivory but we hope every county in the globe will support Kenya in saying that never again shall we trade in ivory," KWS chairman Dr Richard Leaky said.