Vision & Objectives
An Africa free from illegal exploitation and illegal trade in wild fauna and flora by 2063
Scope of the Strategy
This African Strategy has been formulated to guide a common, coordinated response by countries in Africa to combat the illegal exploitation and illegal trade in wild fauna and flora. The Strategy promotes a strong national, regional and international response towards safeguarding all wild fauna and flora in Africa and complements all other ongoing programmes, initiatives and activities. The strategy addresses issues relating to source, transit and destination countries of illegally traded wild fauna and flora and their products (through 2016- 2025). In particular, it aims at providing an agreed Africa-wide framework for operationalizing decisions reached at various international fora and mobilization of resources to support and ensure its implementation.
The Strategy builds upon and supports actions taken by African Governments to implement their obligations and commitments under International and Regional Conventions agreements such as the Lusaka and Maputo and international agreements, under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) such as the African Elephant Action Plan. It also builds upon the commitments from a number of recent high-level events culminating in the
Vision
Brazzaville Conference that have generated significant momentum at international, regional and national levels to enhance efforts to combat the illegal exploitation and illegal trade in wild fauna and flora more effectively, to raise the profile of illegal wildlife trade and to secure political support for these efforts. This Strategy takes cognisance that political commitment is a bold step of African solidarity to combat illegal trade in wild fauna and flora.
Overall Objective of the Strategy
To prevent and reduce with the view of eliminating the illegal exploitation and illegal trade in wild fauna and flora in Africa through the domestication and implementation of this Africa wide strategic framework, endorsed and acted upon by the African Union and its Member States.
Specific Objectives
The African Strategy is built around the following seven core objectives:
- Increase the level of political commitment to prevent, combat and eradicate illegal exploitation and illegal trade in wild fauna and flora, and to recognise illegal trade in wild fauna and flora as a serious crime;
- Improve governance, integrity and enhance regional, inter-regional cooperation;
- Enhance engagement with consumer states to reduce demand, supply and transit of illegal products of wild fauna and flora;
- Increase the capacity of source and transit states in detecting illegal wild fauna and flora products including in the exit and transit points.
- Promote the participatory approach with economic development and community livelihoods through sustainable use of wild fauna and flora;
- Reduce, prevent and eliminate the economic, security and stability impact of wildlife crime;
- Increase capacity, information, advocacy and public awareness;
