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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
CHIEF executive officer of the Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe (SOAZ) Mr Emmanuel Fundira has been appointed a member of the world task force of the Advisory Council of Wildlife Trafficking (ACWT). Mr Fundira was appointed at the ACWT meeting held in London last week along with seven others representing different organisations. The council’s term starts on January 1 and ends in December 2019.

Other members of the ACWT include: Judith Mchale (President, Canes Investments), David Hayes (Stanford Law School), David Barron (Chairperson, International Conservation Caucus Foundation), Cristain Samper (President, Wildlife Conservation Society), Patrick Bergin (CEO, African Wildlife Foundation), Crater Roberts (President and CEO, World Wildlife Fund) and John Webb (Independent).

The ACWT is charged with giving technical expertise to a host of member states and organisations across the world on issues of capacity building, reducing and curbing the illegal movement of wildlife.

In an interview, Mr Fundira said his appointment was a show of great confidence by the rest of the world on Zimbabwe’s conservation methods. He said pangolins and ivory were the major commodities targeted by traffickers across the world.

“It is a great honour to be accorded such an opportunity. This is a recognition of the amount of work we are doing as Zimbabwe in terms of wildlife conservation.

“The opportunity comes with great leverage because the ACWT is well-funded, and that it is very important for us as Africa. You will note that lack of resources is one of the stumbling blocks in our quest to combat illegal trafficking,” he said.

He said Africa had become home to traffickers due to poverty in some countries.

“The ACWT has a number of affiliates who take issue of wildlife conservation and capacity building for members seriously and, we believe that as Zimbabwe, we can learn a lot from sharing notes and reducing trafficking in southern Africa and the rest of the continent.

“We are looking forward to increasing adequate coverage in all the grey areas in Africa,” said Mr Fundira.