LATF BOLSTERS CAPACITY OF ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN EAST AFRICA

Mombasa Kenya. Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF) in collaboration with Grace Farms Foundation (USA) concluded a five-day regional training on Reducing Maritime Trafficking of Wildlife between Africa and Asia held from 15^th – 19^th March 2022 at the Sarova Whitesands Hotel in Mombasa, Kenya. The training brought together 18 participants drawn from various agencies including Wildlife, Forestry, Prosecution and Revenue Authorities in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

This was the onset of a series of capacity building programs comprising basic and advanced training geared towards combating wildlife and forest crime. Advanced training for the same team will take place from 30^th May – 3^rd June 2022 in Tanzania.

This initiative is part of the global coordination child project of the Global Wildlife Program (GEF Global Partnership on Wildlife Conservation and Crime Prevention for Sustainable Development; Coordinate Action and Learning to Combat Wildlife Crime Project, GEF ID 9071). The project will enhance the success of national projects in the Global Wildlife Program by supporting stronger attention and cooperation on counter wildlife trafficking. It is also aligned to and responds to international commitments developed by the United for Wildlife Transport Task Force in the Buckingham Palace Declaration. The project is aimed at strengthening wildlife law enforcement capacity and cooperation between ports in Africa and Asia and contribute to enhanced collaboration among concerned stakeholders to combat wildlife trafficking.

The training:

• Equipped the trainees with basic financial investigations including expertise in following illicit financial flows/money laundering and asset recovery skills and mentoring to effectively follow up on seaport, dry port, and airport wildlife seizures;
• Sensitized the trainees on the best practices in combating wildlife trafficking at ports;
• Promoted South-South and institutional cooperation in combating maritime trafficking of wildlife;
• Enhanced the skills of field enforcement officers to strengthen their effectiveness in combating trans-boundary wildlife crime;
• Promoted closer cooperation/collaboration and enhanced mutual trust among the law enforcement personnel in combating wildlife crime;
• Increased awareness and compliance with Lusaka Agreement, as well as CITES and other multilateral environmental agreements/conventions/protocols that regulate the exploitation and trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora as well as fulfil international commitments.

LATF expresses its profound gratitude to the collaborating/organizing partners namely Grace Farms Foundation, US Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and University of Washington Seattle USA and sponsors Global Wildlife Program, GEF, USAID and UNDP for the support that led to the successful training.

Resource persons for the training were drawn from LATF, Grace Farms Foundation, US Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), University of Washington Seattle USA and Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions – Kenya. The training was sponsored by Global Wildlife Program, GEF, USAID and UNDP.

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