The Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission with the support of the USAID-funded West Africa Biodiversity and Low Emissions Development (WABiLED) programme has organised a national workshop to identify ways to work together to tackle the urgent problem of wildlife trafficking.

The gathering of private and public sector actors representing key sectors of the economy was the initial step to expanding the partners that can play a part in Ghana’s laudable efforts to combat wildlife trafficking.

The meeting complements Ghana’s national biodiversity needs assessment conducted in April 2022 that identified priority areas of intervention for a National Wildlife Crime Strategy (NWCS), currently being considered by the Management Authority responsible for implementing Ghanaian commitments under the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

WABiLED’s support to Ghana’s CITES Management Authority provided the opportunity to assess the level of understanding among stakeholders in financial institutions, transportation, and law enforcement agencies on illegal wildlife trade and how to effectively combat it through a holistic and integrated strategy.

This is in line with regional efforts being led by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to combat wildlife trafficking, as envisaged in the West Africa Strategy on Combatting Wildlife Crime (WASCWC).

Mr. Bernard Asamoah-Boateng, the Executive Director of the Ghana Wildlife Division and CITES focal person explained that "The illegal wildlife trade is a multi-billion-dollar industry, and wildlife criminals are known to use sophisticated money laundering techniques.

Therefore, we need to ensure that Ghana's financial institutions are properly equipped to detect this crime and report it to the authorities. Thus, the importance of this workshop, which brought together participants from the transport sector, financial institutions, and law enforcement agencies cannot be over-emphasized.”

This initiative is expected to strengthen a multi-agency partnership and exchange of information between public and private institutions on combatting wildlife trafficking within Ghana.

 “It provided a platform for engagement with financial institutions, the transportation, and logistics sector that are committed to fighting illegal wildlife trade,” said Naveed Khan, the WABiLED Senior Financial Crime Specialist.

According to Mr. Khan, “this workshop is an opportunity to share best practices and pave the way for identifying focal points with the view to better coordinate future inter-sectoral events and training.

It is essential that any proffered solutions consider strategic actors at national, regional, and international levels entailing a ‘whole of society’ approach to curtail and ultimately eradicate this menace.

Whereas the cost of wildlife trafficking of endangered species to humanity is immeasurable, in monetary value, it is estimated that almost $24 billion dollars is generated by the criminal syndicates involved in this trade worldwide.”

Similar workshops are planned in Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Nigeria, and Togo in preparation for a regional workshop to consolidate the findings and inform the production of regional training modules, define mechanisms for the exchange of information and share best practices for combatting wildlife trafficking among stakeholders.