From Arusha with Resolve: Lusaka Agreement Members pledge to end wildlife and forest crime at the landmark 14th Governing Council Meeting
The 14th Governing Council Meeting of Parties to the Lusaka Agreement took place from 6th to 8th May 2025 at the Gran Meliá Hotel in Arusha, Tanzania. The high-level gathering was attended by Honourable Ministers, Heads of Delegation and delegates from Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia, alongside an observer from South Sudan. Also in attendance were key cooperating partners including UNEP, UNDP, UNODC and the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), as well as Members of Parliament from both Kenya and Tanzania, among other dignitaries.
Group photo of the delegates to the 14th Governing Council: Seated from Left to right: Mr. Robert Wabunoha, Representative of the Executive Director UNEP; Mr. Dominic Chiinda, Representative of the Minister for Tourism, Zambia; Hon. Rebecca Miano, Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife Kenya; Honourable Ambassador Dr. Pindi Chana MP, Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism- Tanzania and Mr. Edward Phiri, Director LATF.
In her valedictory address at the 14th Governing Council Meeting of the Lusaka Agreement, Hon. Rebecca Miano, EGH, outgoing President of the 13th Governing Council and Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife of Kenya, reflected with pride and gratitude on her impactful two-year tenure. She highlighted key milestones achieved under her leadership, including enhanced cross-border enforcement against wildlife and forest crime, increased intelligence-sharing, and strategic progress toward establishing a regional command and control centre.
Hon. Miano highlighted Kenya’s formal allocation of land for the LATF headquarters as a legacy of her term, reflecting strong regional commitment. She celebrated gains in capacity building, staffing, partnerships, and member state engagement despite financial challenges. The adoption of the 2025–2030 Strategic Plan and push to expand membership strengthened the Agreement’s long-term relevance. She called for continued financial innovation as well as support and expressed her utmost confidence in the new leadership under Hon. Dr. Pindi Chana to advance Africa’s transboundary conservation agenda.
During her acceptance speech as President of the 14th Governing Council of Parties to the Lusaka Agreement, Hon. Ambassador Dr. Pindi Hazara Chana (MP), Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism of the United Republic of Tanzania, expressed her heartfelt appreciation and affirmed a strong dedication to furthering the Lusaka Agreement’s objective of eradicating illegal trade in wild fauna and flora across Africa. She commended the outgoing leadership for a job well done and highlighted Tanzania’s progressive strides in wildlife conservation, including stronger legislations, enhanced enforcement, community involvement and cross-border collaboration.
Dr. Chana hailed the Lusaka Agreement as a globally respected legal framework and model for cooperative wildlife protection. She called for a revitalized, inclusive platform where governments, civil society and the private sector unite to tackle escalating wildlife crime and climate threats. Emphasizing technology, intelligence-sharing, and joint operations, she urged strategic implementation of the LATF Strategic Plan 2025–2030 and renewed commitment to sustainable natural resource management. With clarity and conviction, she pledged to lead with purpose toward a secure and sustainable future for Africa’s biodiversity.
LATF Director Edward Phiri thanked the Government of Tanzania for its warm hospitality and praised outgoing President Hon. Rebecca Miano for her exemplary leadership. He highlighted key achievements, including improved operational coordination, strengthened staffing through secondments, sound financial governance validated by a successful audit, and the landmark allocation of land for LATF’s future headquarters and Regional Command and Control Centre in Nairobi National Park.
Mr. Phiri highlighted the 2025–2030 Strategic Plan, expanded partnerships, and secured funding as major milestones. He reaffirmed LATF’s commitment to digital enforcement, regional collaboration, and joint action to safeguard Africa’s biodiversity.
In its resolutions, the meeting reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to Africa’s unity, sovereignty, and environmental security. Guided by Pan-African ideals and the spirit of Ubuntu, the Governing Council emphasized Lusaka Agreement’s role as an integral tool for regional cooperation against transboundary environmental crimes. It resolved to deepen collaboration with African regional blocs and international partners, strengthen institutional coordination and elevate the visibility as well as impact of the Agreement to combat illegal wildlife trade and safeguard the continent’s biodiversity for current and future generations.
Honourable Ambassador Dr. Pindi H. Chana, Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism of Tanzania and newly appointed President of the 14th Governing Council, signs the Council’s decisions alongside Mr. Dominic Chiinda, Representative of the newly appointed Rapporteur and Zambian Minister for Tourism.
