LATF PARTICIPATES AT THE 17TH SESSION OF AFRICAN FORESTRY AND WILDLIFE COMISSION IN BRAZZAVILLE

The Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF) at the occasion of the 17th Session of the African Forestry and Wildlife Commission (AFWC) held in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo   20th – 26th February 2010. During that occasion which also included the pre-session workshop on Climate Change and the first African Forestry and Wildlife Week, LATF organized a side event on The Lusaka Agreement: A Regional Approach to Combat Illegal Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora. The side event was attended by 38 participants from Burundi, Congo Brazzaville, D.R. Congo, Senegal, Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Swaziland, Tanzania, UK and USA. There were also participants from international institutions including FAO, UNEP, SADC, CIC (International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation) and UNESCO.

The objectives of the side event were to: highlight the need for regional interstates cooperation in wildlife and forestry law enforcement; raise awareness on the Lusaka Agreement and activities of its Task Force in supporting efforts of the Parties to combat illegal trade in wild fauna and flora and urge for more membership/accession to the Agreement and partnership with the Task Force.

The Director of the Task Force gave a Key Note Statement and presented a paper on the Lusaka Agreement. The main highlights emerging from the side event was awareness and better understanding of Lusaka Agreement and the work of its Task Force. The participants appreciated the work LATF is doing in Parties and the need for more African States to accede to the Lusaka Agreement in order to ensure comprehensive coverage of the continent and to further address transboundary wildlife and forestry crimes.

Director of LATF giving Key Note Statement at the 17th session of AFWC



Director LATF presenting a paper during side event