MWE Correspondent
Tanzania has called for stronger regional cooperation in the fight against transboundary wildlife crime, warning that illegal trafficking of wildlife and forest products continues to threaten conservation efforts across Africa and beyond.
The appeal was made in Nairobi during the opening of a high-level meeting of the 14th Bureau of the Governing Council of the Lusaka Agreement, a regional framework designed to combat illegal trade in wildlife and forest resources.
The session was chaired by Tanzania’s Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Ashatu Kijaji, who also serves as President of the Governing Council of the Lusaka Agreement. She emphasized that no single country can effectively combat sophisticated cross-border criminal networks without coordinated regional action.
“Regional cooperation is a key weapon in addressing transnational networks involved in illegal wildlife trade, poaching, and forest product trafficking,” she said, stressing that criminal syndicates operate across borders, making isolated national efforts insufficient.
The meeting brought together member states of the Lusaka Agreement, including Kenya, Tanzania, Republic of the Congo, Zambia, and Liberia, reflecting a broad continental effort to strengthen enforcement and intelligence sharing.
Officials noted that wildlife crime has evolved into a highly organized international enterprise, driven by demand for ivory, exotic animal parts, and illegal timber. These networks often rely on porous borders, weak enforcement systems, and corruption vulnerabilities to move illicit goods across regions.
Kijaji highlighted Tanzania’s recent efforts to strengthen conservation, including increased investment in community-based conservation programs aimed at involving local populations living near protected areas. She said that empowering communities has proven critical in reducing poaching and improving long-term sustainability of wildlife resources.
She further stressed that wildlife and forest resources are not the property of a single nation, but a shared global heritage that must be protected for present and future generations.
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“These resources are a global trust. Their protection requires more than political statements—it demands action, innovation, investment, and measurable results,” she said.
Her remarks reflect a growing shift in conservation strategy across Africa, where governments are increasingly focusing on combining law enforcement with community engagement, technology-driven monitoring systems, and cross-border intelligence sharing.
The meeting also reviewed progress made since Tanzania assumed leadership of the Lusaka Agreement Governing Council during a previous session held in Arusha in May 2025. Delegates assessed ongoing implementation of joint operations targeting illegal wildlife trade routes and forest exploitation networks.
In a key development, Kijaji also launched the Lusaka Agreement Secretariat Strategic Plan for 2025–2030, a roadmap designed to strengthen institutional capacity, enhance coordination among member states, and improve operational effectiveness in combating environmental crimes.
The strategy prioritizes improved surveillance systems, stronger legal frameworks, enhanced training for enforcement officers, and expanded regional cooperation mechanisms to track and dismantle transnational wildlife trafficking networks.
Environmental experts say the initiative comes at a critical moment, as illegal wildlife trade continues to threaten biodiversity, undermine tourism revenues, and weaken ecosystems across Africa.
