Dar es Salaam. Tanzania and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Regional Office for Eastern Africa (UNODC ROEA), have pledged to strengthen their collaboration in tackling environmental crimes that threaten biodiversity conservation.
The commitment was made on Monday, February 17, 2025, during a meeting in Dar es Salaam between the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Dr Pindi Chana, and the Regional Representative of UNODC ROEA, Ms Ashita Mittal.
Speaking at the meeting, Dr Chana said the engagement provided an opportunity for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism and UNODC to assess the organisation’s support for Tanzania’s efforts in addressing environmental crime.
The discussions focused on ongoing initiatives, including the fight against wildlife trafficking, illegal fishing, and maritime security.
Dr Chana also expressed her deep appreciation to UNODC for its financial and technical assistance to the ministry in combating transnational crimes, particularly through the Joint Port Control Unit (JPCU), which plays a key role in tackling illegal wildlife trade (IWT).
“The illegal wildlife trade not only poses a serious security threat to our natural heritage but also undermines biodiversity conservation efforts among member states. It has significantly affected our economy and fuelled other organised crimes such as money laundering, corruption, drug trafficking and illicit arms trade,” she said.
For her part, Ms Mittal reaffirmed UNODC’s commitment to supporting Tanzania through capacity-building training aimed at strengthening efforts to combat wildlife trafficking.
She noted the importance of collaboration in addressing the challenge.
“We do not necessarily need large amounts of money, but we must focus on building the capacity of our people and engaging local communities in the fight against illegal wildlife trade. However, we also need donors to support these efforts,” she said.
The meeting was attended by officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation.
