Six countries - Congo, Kenya, Lesotho, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia - are Parties to the Lusaka Agreement which was adopted in September 1994 and entered into force in December 1996.
Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director of UNEP is expected to present a report on the activities on the implementation of the Lusaka Agreement and decisions taken at its first meeting in March 1997. UNEP provides interim arrangements by supporting the Lusaka Agreement and the bodies established under it and works in close consultation with its members.
The Council will receive national reports from the Parties on how they have enforced and complied with the provisions of the Agreement and decisions taken at that first meeting with proposals for the way forward. The national reports will include an evaluation of the training courses of national law enforcement officers on cooperative enforcement operations and mechanisms which have been taking place at country level in readiness for collaborative undercover activities between the national bureaux and the Task Force.
There will also be discussion on the report and outcome of the consultative meeting which was held in Nairobi on 21 and 22 October 1998.
For more information, please contact:
Mr. Donald Kaniaru,
Director,
UNEP, ELI/PAC,
P.O. Box 30552,
Nairobi,
Kenya,
Tel. 254-2-623507, Fax, 254-2-230198,
Email: donald.kaniaru@unep.org
or
Tore J. Brevik,
Director,
UNEP,
Communications and Public Information,
tel: 254-2 623292, fax: 254-2 623927.
For information, during the meeting, please call 605071.
Note to Journalists: The Task Force was formed under the Lusaka Agreement to combat international syndicates smuggling wildlife in the region. At an earlier meeting held in March 1997, the Governing Council discussed issues of political significance and operational modalities of the Task Force.
UNEP News Release 1999/19