LATF meets Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) and United Nations University officials in its efforts to develop regional database

On 6th and 7th September 2010, the Director of the Task Force, Mr. Bonaventure Ebayi lead a delegation that included a LATF Communication Assistant and a Database Assistant officer from KWS to a meeting with officials of the International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) of the University of Twente and the United Nations University in Enschede the Netherlands. The objective of the meeting was to plan on a joint project between the Task Force (LATF), ITC and United Nations University in research collaboration and development and implementation of Wildlife Enforcement Monitoring System (WEMS) in Africa.

The WEMS system will link producing countries and consumers through monitoring of illegal trade/trafficking, thus Lusaka Agreement Task Force will utilize the system to effectively track the trade and also add value in building capacity of its member states in the modern techniques to curb illegal trade in wild fauna and flora. A pilot project will be conducted with Parties to Lusaka Agreement and extended to other African countries thereafter.

Plans are underway for the three institutions to formally enter into a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) as a basis for effective implementation of WEMS in Africa. Co-operation and inter- institutional collaboration are key factors to success in addressing transnational challenges.

Group photo with some of the participants at ITC in Enschede Netherlands