West Africa urged to combat illegal wildlife trade

Michael Balinga, a biodiversity conservation specialist, has called on Ghana and other West African countries to implement policy and legislative measures to combat the illegal trade in wildlife.

According to Graphic Online, he emphasized the need for governments to allocate resources for enforcing these measures and building the capacity of enforcement agencies, particularly the Wildlife Division of the Forestry

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Speaking at a workshop organized by the USAID-funded West Africa Biodiversity and Low Emissions Development (WABiLED) Programme, Balinga stressed the seriousness of wildlife trafficking as a crime with significant security implications. He called for strong penalties to deter wildlife traffickers and make such activities high-risk and low-profit for criminals.

The workshop, attended by 60 participants from the transport sector, financial institutions, and law enforcement agencies, aimed to build capacity in combating illegal wildlife trade. Participants were equipped with knowledge on wildlife trade, associated crimes, and collaboration strategies across agencies to combat these threats effectively.

Africa is known as a source continent for wildlife trafficking to other regions, but the trade often violates local and international restrictions. WABiLED, a USAID-funded program, focuses on combatting wildlife trafficking, enhancing great ape conservation, and reducing deforestation and biodiversity loss.

Balinga highlighted the security risks posed by wildlife trafficking, including armed traffickers endangering enforcement agents and communities. He emphasized that the illegal and unregulated nature of wildlife trafficking makes it difficult to ensure the safe handling and management of animals.

Claire Beastall, a trafficking consultant with WABiLED, noted the economic implications of wildlife trafficking, including revenue losses in the tourism sector and support for corruption and organized crime. She emphasized the need for concerted efforts to combat wildlife trafficking to protect the economy and biodiversity.