The sale of 102 tonnes of government-owned ivory stocks in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe fetched an average of 157 dollars per kilogramme, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) said in a statement.

The auction does not signal the reopening of the ivory trade, CITES head Willem Wijnstekers said, noting, "the sales that have just finished were exceptional."

The biggest stockpile was sold in South Africa followed by Botswana, Namibia and Harare to approved buyers from Japan and China.

The Chinese buyers bought the bulk of the tusks, which fetched the highest price per kilogramme in Botswana.

While critics fear the sales could boost illegal ivory trade, CITES said data since the first experimental sales in 1999 after a 10 year ban showed no link between controlled ivory sales and increases in poaching.

The average auction price was sharply lower than that on the black market where tusks can cost between 750 and 850 dollars per kilogramme, the body added.

The ivory came from elephants who died of natural causes or were culled to control their population and funds will be used for elephant conservation and community development projects.

The ivory will also be monitored once it leaves Africa.

As part of the agreed sale, the four countries will not be allowed to auction any ivory over the next nine years, CITES said.

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