This archive report was first published on 24 October 2019.
On October 24, 2019, Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, Najib Balala, emphasized the need for collective action among World Sea Ports to combat wildlife trafficking during a Port Stakeholders' Workshop in Mombasa.
According to Balala, Sea Ports have been identified as key transit points for wildlife contraband, and no government can effectively curb this menace in isolation.
Kenya alone spends over 400 million shillings annually on anti-poaching and security of wildlife in the country, making fighting wildlife crime a very expensive affair.
Organized criminals exploit gaps in the enforcement of the law to use the country's infrastructure for their illicit purposes and find innovative ways to move their commodities and finances across continents.
"This not only affects the Port of Mombasa but also other ports in Africa, Asia, and South East Asia used as transit or destination harbours," Balala said.
Illicit trafficking of wildlife threatens certain populations, affects the productivity and resilience of ecosystems, and the diversity and viability of biodiversity across Africa, ultimately impacting the livelihoods of millions of people and the countries' economy.
When wildlife product seizures occur in Hong Kong, Singapore, or Vietnam, the origin is often in Africa, and our Ports should not be used for illicit trafficking of wildlife products," Balala said.
He called on all shipping lines, warehouses, clearing and forwarding agencies to work closely with the government to curb illicit trafficking of wildlife.
