Imagine if border controls could more effectively intercept the illegal trade of endangered species—what a significant contribution that would make to global biodiversity conservation. Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) Customs is taking concrete steps in this direction. With support from the World Customs Organization's (WCO) Inama Project, URA is significantly enhancing its capacity to combat illegal wildlife trade (IWT), particularly regarding species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
The Inama Project: Tailored Capacity Building for Uganda Customs
The WCO's Inama Project aims to strengthen enforcement capabilities of selected customs administrations in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa to combat illegal trade in wildlife (both flora and fauna), especially CITES-listed species. In late 2016, WCO identified seven countries to receive tailored national support under the Inama Project framework during 2017-2018. Each priority customs administration underwent a scoping mission to verify its self-assessment results using the WCO-Inama Institutional Assessment Tool for CITES implementation.
Uganda benefited from such a scoping mission in February 2017. This resulted in a diagnostic report and an associated action plan focusing on key recommendations, which were subsequently approved by the URA Customs Commissioner. The first mission to implement parts of the action plan occurred in December 2017, followed by a second mission in April 2018.
Cornerstone of Capacity Building: The CITES Enforcement Manual
With WCO Inama Project support, URA and WCO jointly conducted several activities in April 2018 to strengthen Uganda's capacity for effective CITES implementation and IWT combat. One significant achievement was the development of the CITES Enforcement Manual (Procedural Guide) . This manual is expected to be incorporated into the next version of URA's Customs Business Process Compendium, serving as a practical reference for customs officers' daily work.
Cross-Sector Collaboration: Building a United Front Against IWT
Effective combat against IWT—including smuggling and poaching—requires customs to collaborate with all relevant stakeholders, including police, judiciary, and wildlife authorities. To this end, Uganda reconvened its CITES Multi-Agency Working Group and drafted memoranda of understanding/procedural codes with key agencies. The agenda for the working group's first meeting has been set, along with a schedule for regular meetings, indicating Uganda's progress in building a tighter cross-sector collaboration network against IWT.
Raising Awareness: Ensuring Stakeholder Engagement
Raising awareness is crucial for ensuring all stakeholders comply with and fully participate in combating IWT. Specific awareness materials have been developed for customs officers at border points. Additionally, a multi-agency awareness campaign targeting public and private sectors, civil society, and the general public is planned. Through these efforts, Uganda hopes to increase public understanding of IWT's dangers and encourage broader participation in wildlife conservation.
International Funding Support
The Inama Project is currently funded by the U.S. Department of State and Sweden, with the above activities sponsored by Sweden. This demonstrates the international community's strong commitment to combating IWT and recognition of Uganda's efforts in wildlife protection.
Key Achievements and Future Outlook
Under the WCO Inama Project, URA has made notable progress:
- Capacity Assessment: February 2017 scoping mission provided comprehensive evaluation of CITES implementation
- CITES Enforcement Manual: Practical guide developed for customs officers' daily operations
- Enhanced Collaboration: Reconvened Multi-Agency Working Group and drafted inter-agency agreements
- Awareness Building: Developed targeted materials for border officers and planned public campaigns
Looking ahead, Uganda Customs aims to further strengthen its IWT combat capabilities through improved intelligence gathering, advanced detection technologies, ongoing staff training, and deeper international cooperation. These continued efforts position Uganda to become a regional leader in protecting endangered species and combating wildlife crime—a vital contribution to global biodiversity conservation.