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- Jul 30, 2008
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Natural Resources and Tourism minister, Lazaro Nyalandu
The ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism has launched a five- year national strategy to combat poaching and illegal wildlife trade.
The strategy which will require USD 51 million (88.66bn/-) is expected to strengthen the capacity of the ministry in terms of conducting intelligence led anti poaching, highly coordinated law enforcement, and improvement of rural livelihoods through enhanced community based management of natural resources.
The strategy will also raise awareness in supply, transit and destination countries to help change attitudes towards wildlife crime and build international support.
Launching the strategy in Dar es Salaam yesterday Natural Resources and Tourism minister, Lazaro Nyalandu said the government in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) formulated the strategy in order to intensify the war against poaching and all forms of wildlife related crimes.
According to Nyalandu, the strategy provides an effective programme of support to combat poaching and illegal trafficking in Tanzania through a three pronged approach.
The approaches include strengthening law enforcement through investing in capacity building to strengthen law enforcement, establish and maintain national cross agency mechanisms and streamline cross border and regional cooperation through better coordination.
Others are to increase capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunities and eradicate poverty, raising awareness in supply and transit and destination countries to help change attitudes towards wildlife crime and building international support.
The government considers this strategy as a fully fledged instrument that can reinforce the war against illegal wildlife trade and poaching which feeds it, he stressed.
Nyalandu said that while Tanzania appreciates the great support and cooperation that has been receiving from partners within and outside the country, it takes the opportunity to once again call upon all the partners to support the government.
He said the support is through financial resources and necessary equipment with the view to strengthening the capacity to make the strategy practical.
However, Nyalandu pointed that the strategy like other strategic documents is a living document and it is therefore subject to change given the intensity of poaching and tactics employed by poachers.
He added; As it stands now, we require about USD 51 million (88.66bn/-) for five years for implementing the action items enshrined in the document.
Nyalandu hopes that the same strength shown during the development of the strategy will also be replicated in the implementation phase.
UNDP Country Director, Philippe Poinsot established that it is a process that needs to address poaching issues in the country.
We look forward to cooperate with Tanzania in the fight against poaching and see the strategy bares fruits, he said.
Germany Deputy Ambassador, John Reyels stressed that his country will continue supporting and cooperating with the government in making sure that wildlife are fully protected.
We have to figure out how things should be done faster. We are also committed to support Tanzania win the fight against poaching and illegal wildlife trade, he intoned.
He said Germany has contributed Euro 30 million to facilitate the strategy.
The launch was attended by various development partners including Germany, USA, China and European Union.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN