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 African
Network Sets Priorities
The
African Environmental Enforcement Network met during
the Sixth INECE Conference earlier this year in Costa
Rica, and developed priorities for a strategic plan
including a review of the existing legal frameworks
in the region and a commitment to harmonization. In
addition, the network agreed to participate in the development
of INECE enforcement indicators and their testing within
the African region.
Following up on these discussions, the network hosted
a regional meeting of environmental enforcement and
compliance officials in order to coordinate their participation
at the African Ministers environment meeting held in
Kampala, Uganda. Please see the results from the workshop
at http://www.inece.org/conf/proceedings2/78-Africa.pdf.
Report
on Illegal Reptile Trade in Kenya Released
 Mr.
Francis M ole Nkako, Coordinator of the Bush Meat Identification
Project at the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), recently
released a report on the illegal reptile trade in Kenya.
Illegal reptile trade is one of the factors responsible
for the decline of wildlife populations around protected
areas and beyond. However, the trade is unsustainable
and this affects law enforcement in terms of conservation.
Kenya
is facing a situation similar to other African countries.
However, the illegal trade poses major challenges for
law enforcement agencies, more so to the KWS. Guiding
the wildlife sector management in Kenya is the Wildlife
Policy and the Wildlife Act. The KWS mandate is to manage
wildlife both in protected areas and outside. However,
KWS faces challenges managing wildlife resources in
changing socio-economic environment and declining resources.
These challenges include policy, legal, administrative
and economic challenges. In addition, others include
health and safety challenges.
The
report concludes that the illegal trade is not sustainable
at the current level and recommend a complete review
of wildlife policies, laws and institutional arraignments
as well as clarification of wildlife tenure. Further
recommendations call for stakeholders to define reptile
utilization standards to ensure sustainable management.
For more information, including a complete copy of the
report, contact Mr. Francis M ole Nkako at olenkako@kws.org.
The Kenya Wildlife Service Web site can be accessed
at http://www.kws.org/.
For
more news from Africa:
In
addition, please visit INECE's Africa Forum at http://www.inece.org/region_africa.html.
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