The Lusaka Agreement on Co-operative Enforcement Operations Directed at Illegal Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora (referred to as the Lusaka Agreement) was adopted in 1994. The Lusaka Agreement seeks to support enforcement of laws governing illegal trade in wild fauna and flora in Africa. With the 10-year anniversary of its adoption approaching, the 6th Governing Council (July 2003) requested the Executive Director of UNEP in cooperation with the Director of the Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF) to initiate an independent review of the work of the Task Force. The Governing Council indicated that this review should examine the impacts of implementing the Agreement, since its adoption in September 1994, and make recommendations for the enhancement of the Task Force and the institutions established under the Agreement. As such, the review would assist in the long-term planning of the work of the Task Force.
The evaluation was conducted under the auspices of UNEP between January and November 2004. An independent consultant was commissioned to lead the consultations, which resulted in the preparation of a draft review report. This draft report was reviewed and commented on at a regional experts’ workshop, held in Nairobi in December 2004. Subsequently, the evaluation report was adopted during the meeting of the 7th Governing Council, held in January 2005.
The independent evaluation entailed a comprehensive review and assessment of the existing arrangements with a view toward providing guidance on the best way forward in implementing the Agreement. The review process made a number of recommendations to enhance the implementation of the Agreement and to strengthen the roles of its institutions (in particular the National Bureaus, Governing Council, and Task Force). These recommendations include, inter alia:
- Developing and monitoring implementation of a Strategic Plan as well as a comprehensive financial strategy for the Task Force to cover short-, medium-, and long-term strategies;
- Increasing networking of the Task Force and National Bureaus with relevant national stakeholders and other regional and international organisations;
- Promoting international cooperation by developing closer links with partners at the sub-regional, regional, and international levels;
- Expanding the mandate of the Bureau of the Governing Council as a policy and decision making organ;
- Enhancing the profile of the Lusaka Agreement at international fora; and
- Development of contingency and strategic plans for eventual expansion of the Agreement.
Following completion of the review and the adoption of the evaluation report, the review’s recommendations have been used in a variety of ways. A 10-year Strategic Plan (2005-2015) has been provisionally adopted by the Bureau of the Governing Council and is currently being implemented. Comprehensive work programmes and annual operational plans have taken into consideration the review report recommendations. LATF institutions have started to be strengthened, with the Bureau of the Governing Council now serving as the implementation committee of the Governing Council. Finally, LATF has seen increased and closer collaboration with various partners. This is illustrated, for example, by the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was concluded with L’Organisation pour la Conservation de la Faune Sauvage en Afrique (OCFSA) and another MoU that is being finalised with Interpol.
For more information, see http://www.lusakaagreement.org/ or contact Ms. Emily Kisamo skisamo@lusakaagreement.org