The President of the Governing Council of the Lusaka Agreement, who is also Tanzania’s Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Dr. Ashatu Kijaji (MP), has chaired the 14th Bureau of the Governing Council meeting overseeing the implementation of the Lusaka Agreement on cooperation against cross-border wildlife and forest crimes.
The high-level meeting, held on May 20, 2026, in Nairobi, brought together member states of the agreement, including Kenya, Tanzania, the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), Zambia and Liberia.
The discussions focused on strengthening regional coordination in combating transnational environmental crimes, particularly illegal wildlife trade and illegal logging, which continue to pose a threat to biodiversity across borders.
The meeting builds on resolutions adopted during the 14th Governing Council session held in May 2025 in Arusha, Tanzania, which among other things called for reforms to improve the structure, performance and efficiency of the Lusaka Agreement Secretariat to enhance its ability to respond to emerging challenges in wildlife protection.
During the Nairobi session, members reviewed implementation progress of previous resolutions alongside performance reports of the Secretariat covering the period from May 2025 to April 2026.
The review aimed at assessing operational effectiveness and ensuring that agreed reforms are being implemented to strengthen coordination in addressing transnational wildlife and forest crimes.
The deliberations also emphasized the need to enhance intelligence sharing among member states, improve coordination between enforcement agencies, and strengthen joint operational mechanisms to respond to increasingly sophisticated networks involved in illegal wildlife trafficking and environmental degradation.
Dr. Kijaji was accompanied by Tanzania’s Director of Wildlife, Dr. Alexander Lobora, Assistant Director for Anti-Poaching, Ezekiel Goboro, as well as senior officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism and conservation institutions, including the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA), the Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA), and the Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS).
Member states reaffirmed their commitment to the Lusaka Agreement framework, which promotes joint enforcement action against illegal trade in wildlife and forest products across national borders.
The agreement remains a key regional platform for cooperation, capacity building and coordinated enforcement among African countries.
The Nairobi meeting is expected to accelerate ongoing institutional reforms within the Secretariat and strengthen collective efforts to combat wildlife crime and support sustainable conservation across the region.
