LATF and China’s National Inter-Agency CITES Enforcement Coordination Group (NICECG) join hands in boosting efforts to curb African elephant ivory illegal trade

The Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF) is working in collaboration with NICECG to enhance cooperation between Africa and China in its law enforcement efforts to curb the escalating sophistication of illegal wildlife trade focusing on elephant ivory and rhino horn smuggling in East Africa and across the continent.

The two institutions resolve to carry out exchange programme for operatives by reciprocal visits of NICECG and LATF’s officers.

This is in line with general strategies on enhancing cooperation among source and consuming countries of illegally traded wildlife specimens. LATF and NICECG collaboration will eventually lead to an effective and long term partnership beneficial to both China and Africa.

LATF Director, Mr. Bonaventure Ebayi highly appreciates the initiative and encourages all African states especially Parties to Lusaka Agreement to support and facilitate cooperation and interaction with NICECG and other relevant agencies in China and Asia in general in addressing wildlife law enforcement challenges related to ivory and horns smuggling.

LATF is a Panafrican intergovernmental wildlife enforcement agency fostering cooperation among states and interagency collaboration in fighting wildlife crime in Africa.