Webinar Recording: Building Capacity for Law Enforcement and Prosecution of Wildlife Crime Experience From Mozambique

Mozambique’s porous borders, weak governance structures, lack of law enforcement and under-resourced park authorities in conservation areas foster an environment in which international organized criminal syndicates exploit the country as a major hub for sourcing and transporting illegal wildlife products, such as ivory and rhino horn. USAID’s Supporting the Policy Environment for Economic Development (SPEED+) program seeks to to improve the judiciary system’s capacity to successfully prosecute and adjudicate wildlife criminals through customized training packages and legal tools.

In partnership with the Mozambique Attorney General’s Office and the National Administration of Conservation Areas, SPEED+ and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime developed the Rapid Reference Manual to investigate and prosecute wildlife crimes, including step-by-step guidance for the prosecution of 90 wildlife-related crimes. This partnership has led to an increase in the number of wildlife crimes being prosecuted, as well as customized training and legal tools for judges and wildlife rangers.

In June 2019, USAID held a webinar for the CWT Learning Group to share the strategy and activities of SPEED+. The recording can be viewed above, and the presentation is available for download.