Mozambique Lusaka Agreement Day

Mozambique Lusaka Agreement Day

September 7

In December 1992, Zambia's Ministry of Tourism convened wildlife law enforcement officers from eight eastern and southern African countries in Lusaka, Zambia. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss ways to stop the illegal trade of wild plants and animals from these countries. During this meeting, the group developed the Lusaka Agreement on Co-operative Enforcement Operations Directed at Illegal Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora.
Following this initial meeting, several working group meetings were held among members of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), Interpol, and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, as well as London University lawyers for the Foundation for International Environment Law Development (FIELD). The Lusaka Agreement was formally adopted on September 8, 1994, and the agreement took effect on December 10, 1996.
There are currently six parties to the agreement: The Republics of Congo (Brazzaville), Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and the Kingdom of Lesotho. The Republics of South Africa, Ethiopia, and the Kingdom of Swaziland are signatories.
As part of the agreement, the Lusaka Agreement Task Force was launched on June 1, 1999. This permanent inter-governmental task force was set up to coordinate activities in and among the states affected by the Lusaka Agreement. The task force is responsible for conducting investigations into violations of national laws involving the illegal trade of wild fauna and flora. The headquarters for the Lusaka Agreement Task Force is located in Nairobi, Kenya.
To show support for this important agreement, September 7 has been declared Lusaka Agreement Day in Mozambique. It is a public holiday throughout the country.

CONTACTS:
Lusaka Agreement Task Force
The Director
Lusaka Agreement Task Force
P.O. Box 3533-00506
Nairobi, Kenya
www.lusakaagreement.org

Celebration day: Sep 7