Combating illegal Wildlife Trade Efforts

 Eradicating the market for illegal wildlife products: Engaging Consumer Countries of wildlife products

• Combating illegal wildlife trade requires addressing the consumer end of the problem and realizing this, the Department engaged in bilateral talks with China. A Chinese delegation, comprising the head of the Chinese CITES Management Authority, the Head of Chinese Forestry and Wildlife Agency, TRAFFIC Office in China and others, in Malawi. The talks were centred on cooperation and collaboration in the fight against illegal wildlife trade between Malawi, the region and China, as a major destination.

• The two sides agreed to formalize their cooperation through a Memorandum of Understanding.

• They also agreed on a way forward on cases that involved wildlife products that originated or passed through from Malawi and were seized in China.

• The interaction was concluded by a workshop organized by the Chinese Government for Chinese nationals living in Malawi.

• At the end of the workshop, the Chinese community living in Malawi made a pledge to never involve themselves in illegal wildlife business and to support efforts of combating illegal wildlife trade and wildlife crime in general

Ensuring Effective Legal Frameworks and Deterrents: Amendment of the National Parks and Wildlife Act

The process of amending the Act, which was classified by many stakeholders as having been very weak, commenced in 2015. By December 2016, consultations had been concluded and parliament passed the Amendment Bill. In January 2017, the Bill was signed into Law.

 The Act now provides for stiffer penalties for wildlife cases, with offences involving listed species such as elephant, rhino and pangolin attracting a custodial jail sentence of 30 years, with no option of a fine.

 Strengthening law enforcement: Cross-Border Cooperation

Malawi has intensified collaboration and cooperation with its immediate neighbours and within the region at large.

Under the provisions of the Trans frontier Conservation Areas Treaty (TFCAs). Malawi and Zambia   have conducted joint   law   enforcement   operations which have been successful. The 1wo countries also continue to share wildlife law enforcement information and intelligence.

In April, 2018, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia conducted joint training for their law enforcement and investigations operatives, as part of Operation Disrupt. The training was successful and the operations that were a practical part of the training yielded important arrests in Malawi and Zambia.

 Sustainable livelihoods and economic development

Elephant Marsh a wetland in the Southern Malawi has now been designated as a Ramsar Site under the Ramsar Convention. This means conservation

efforts of marsh will be enhanced while the communities will be able to put the resource at wise use. These will reduce the poaching and illegal trade.