March 3, 2020 (ADDIS ABAB, Ethiopia) The third Horn of Africa Wildlife Enforcement Network (HAWEN) Executive Committee meeting was convened today at the African Union Head Quarters in Addis Ababa. “Today is World Wildlife Day. IGAD is bringing its Member States and Partners at this World Wildlife Day to enhance the agenda of protecting wildlife in the region.” Said Dr. Debalkew Berhe, IGAD Program Manager for Environment.
“The meeting will facilitate higher cooperation among member states by strengthening the HAWEN network, which is now a Specialized Network of IGAD, specializing on Wildlife Law Enforcement. Participants include IGAD Member States, IGAD Secretariat and Development Partners,” said Dr. Berhe.
The objective of the meeting was to review the activities undertaken in the implementation of the HAWEN action that was endorsed in March 2019 and to chart the way forward to enhance the operationalization of the HAWEN Secretariat and the HAWEN Action Plan.
Participants from member states and partners in development made presentations on their work in the protection of the wildlife and combating wildlife trafficking, exchanged information, experience and best practices. The HAWEN Executive Committee called for increased cooperation for the combat of the illegal trafficking of wildlife in the region and in Africa at large.
