During 27th February to 9th March 2011 the Director of LATF Mr. Bonaventure Ebayi accompanied by a Field Officer made an official visit to the United Republic of Tanzania to brief the president of the Bureau of the Governing Council and discuss the progress made by LATF on the implementation of the Lusaka Agreement as well as ongoing activities in the year 2011/2012. Tanzania is currently a member of the Bureau of the 9th Governing Council as President.
LATF officials briefed Hon. Ezekiel Maige, Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism (President of the 9th Governing Council) and attended a series of meetings with various heads of institutions and senior government officials to discuss issues of importance to both LATF and Tanzania. The honorable Minister advised on the way forward on implementation of the Governing Council Decisions` including the disposal of the 6.5 tonnes contraband ivory, the Pan-African Conference on Biodiversity Crime and the upcoming 10th Governing Council meeting planned in May, September and November 2011 respectively.
Further, strategies for networking between the National Bureau and other Agencies at National level including Forestry and Beekeeping Division, Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) and Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) were agreed upon.
Other outcomes of the visit were strategies on effective sharing of information between the Task Force and the National Bureau, cooperation and joint programs with the College of African Wildlife Management – Mweka, Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI) and Frankfurt Zoological Society (Africa Regional Office) in areas that both LATF and Tanzania can benefit especially capacity building and law enforcement.
LATF Director (right) with the Director General TAWIRI
LATF Director( front right) with MWEKA Rector (left) and other officials