The 1994 Lusaka Agreement on Cooperative Enforcement Operations Directed at 
Illegal Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora is a regional agreement to combat the problem of illegal trade in wild species. The Parties to the agreement are Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, Lesotho, and the Republic of Congo. Ethiopia, Swaziland, and the Republic of South Africa are also signatories.
UNEP has helped to enhance the technical capacities of national law enforcement officers to implement the Lusaka Agreement and support the activities of the agreement’s task force. National law enforcement officers from wildlife, forestry, customs, and police departments have been given two weeks comprehensive training on cooperative enforcement mechanisms, which included theory, practical training in the field and simulation exercises. Fifteen participants from each State have participated in national level training courses. Approximately 105 personnel were trained between 1996 and 2000.
As a result of this training, law enforcement officers have formed a core group of technical experts in National Bureaus to facilitate the implementation of the Lusaka Agreement. They are also training other law enforcement officers to expand the base and the number of experts in each State. One trained field officer from each State has been seconded to the Lusaka Agreement Task Force headquarters in Kenya in accordance with the Lusaka Agreement. The training courses have ensured that both the National Bureaus and the Lusaka Agreement Task Force, launched in June 1999, have officers with the necessary expertise to exchange required information for enforcement.
For more information, contact Mr. Emily S. Kisamo at Skisamo@lusakaagreement.org.