The survival of an African elephant may depend on the precise interception by a customs officer at an Asian port. The rampant illegal wildlife trade (IWT) not only threatens species survival but also poses serious challenges to global security and economic stability. Against this backdrop, the INAMA project has taken concrete action to support customs authorities in Asian and sub-Saharan African countries, building a robust defense line.
Strengthening the Frontlines Against Wildlife Crime
To consolidate achievements in combating IWT across Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, the INAMA project conducted nine expert national support missions in July and August 2019. These missions supported customs administrations in Angola, Botswana, Cambodia, Cameroon, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Nigeria, Tanzania, Thailand, and Togo. These efforts followed previous activities including regional workshops, "train-the-trainer" sessions, certification workshops, and "PRAESIDIO" and "THUNDERBALL" operations.
The missions focused on several IWT-related aspects, including training frameworks, legal instruments, risk management, and operational planning and implementation. Experts engaged with supervisors and officials responsible for these areas, presenting findings and recommendations regarding IWT matters. These insights also helped shape future priorities and planning.
Key Strategies for Enhanced Enforcement
The INAMA project has significantly improved customs authorities' capacity to combat IWT through several critical initiatives:
- Strengthening Training Systems: Project experts conducted in-depth assessments of existing training frameworks, proposing improvements to address weaknesses. By optimizing training content and methods, frontline officers now better understand IWT identification, interdiction, and handling techniques, boosting both professional competence and enforcement confidence.
- Improving Legal Frameworks: The project team assisted customs authorities in reviewing and enhancing relevant laws and regulations, ensuring IWT combat efforts have solid legal foundations. Through strengthened international cooperation, countries are forming legal alliances against cross-border IWT crimes, creating powerful deterrents.
- Optimizing Risk Management: Experts shared advanced risk management concepts and technologies, helping establish robust risk assessment systems to accurately identify high-risk cargo and shipping routes. Utilizing big data analysis and intelligence sharing has improved interdiction efficiency against IWT activities.
- Enhancing Operational Coordination: The project team collaborated with customs authorities to develop action plans with clear objectives, tasks, and responsibilities. Strengthened interdepartmental and international cooperation has created powerful synergies against cross-border IWT crimes, breaking geographical barriers through information sharing and resource integration.
Building Expertise Through Practical Evaluation
Some missions doubled as certification processes, with pre-certification experts participating in diagnostic assignments. Reports on each pre-certification expert will inform final assessments during an August 26-30, 2019 certification workshop. This "learning-through-practice" approach not only tests professional capabilities but provides valuable field experience for future IWT enforcement work.
These missions received funding from the U.S. Department of State and the Eurocustoms Customs Cooperation Fund, demonstrating international commitment to addressing IWT challenges.
A Commitment to Conservation and Security
The INAMA project represents more than operations—it embodies a steadfast commitment to wildlife protection and ecological balance. Through sustained efforts, the project is helping Asian and African customs authorities build well-trained, well-equipped, and highly coordinated enforcement teams to combat IWT and protect endangered species.
Looking ahead, INAMA will continue playing a vital role in creating a safer, more sustainable world. Each intercepted smuggled item represents a life saved, a gesture of respect for nature, and hope for the future. The project's success also offers valuable lessons for other regions, suggesting that through strengthened international cooperation, enhanced enforcement capacity, and improved legal frameworks, we can build a more powerful global network against IWT.