Initiative

Technology Engineering Environment Development Management

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WHAT IS WILDLIFE ENFORCEMENT MONITORING SYSTEM (WEMS)?

WEMS is a web-based information system with GIS functionality which is able to identify trading routes and provide location analysis. The data entered is stored in the format of Interpol eco-message providing real time query based on computer analysis by relevant enforcement authorities; thereby providing a common information sharing platform between national enforcement agencies attending to wildlife crime within the country and with regional networks.

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WHAT IS THE WEMS INITIATIVE ?

WEMS initiative was developed by United Nations University (UNU) in 2005 to address the challenges in wildlife law enforcement information collection, compilation, and sharing process. WEMS initiative features the following:

WEMS (geo-spatial information system) – acts as a common information sharing platform for enforcement agencies at a national and regional level.

WEMS (mapping platform) – provides information on the location and timing of the wildlife crime in a map and indicates the trading routes.

WEMS (reporting tools) – includes an automatic eco-messaging tool which supports enforcement officials to send eco-messages electronically to INTERPOL and Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

WEMS (capacity development component) – provides training for national enforcement agencies in enforcement information compilation and in analyzing of the WEMS data.

WEMS (research and outreach component) – undertakes researches and analyses to inform the policymakers, decision-makers and public regarding the trends.

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VISION

WEMS is a collaborative initiative to actively support the enforcement, implementation, and monitoring simultaneously of CITES, other Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) 14, 15, and 16 (Life below water, Life on land, and Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) for the protection of wildlife, prevention of illicit trafficking and poaching of wild fauna and flora, and destruction of ecosystems and disruption of their services globally.

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OBJECTIVES

•Strengthen monitoring of forest and wildlife crimes through promotion of WEMS as a national monitoring system and facilitator of enforcement information-sharing between regional networks and global enforcement agencies.

•Enhance the national legislative and enforcement mechanism through an evidence-based and structured information collection process.

•Act as a multipurpose tool to support the requirements of United Nations Conventions, United Nations bodies and international agencies by bringing in grass-roots level enforcement information (spatial and non-spatial) from Asia and Africa to discussions at a global level.

•Support national governments to develop indicators for meeting SDG’s, especially SDG’s 14, 15, and 16.

•Provide information base for researches on environmental policy and governance, geo-spatial sciences, environmental security and other related areas of concern for global biodiversity and human security, in collaboration with academic and research institutions.

•Reinforce environmental governance at local, national, regional and global levels through capacity development and community of practice for knowledge transference in collaboration with governments, development partners, MEA Secretariats and other stakeholder organizations.

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HOW THE WEMS PLATFORM WORKS?

The web-based WEMS geo-spatial platform compiles, analyses vital information and data amongst member states enabling them to monitor and evaluate the progress of their environmental legislations and identify trends, patterns and any loopholes in the implementation method. Countries enter verified data on wildlife crimes and offenses, which will be analyzed and presented in the forms of reports and maps as information that authorities can utilize to make informed policies and develop legislations on managing wildlife crime.

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HOW IT SUPPORTS MEMBER STATES

Through WEMS, member countries have the autonomy over the sensitive data relevant to wildlife crimes and its perpetrators. Members can choose the information to share with other national agencies and policymakers, providing a customized resource that can act as a national, regional and global database. It facilitates in the following key ways:

•Provides evidence of the national efforts of individual member states in meeting their international commitments as well as national targets

•Support the establishment of a customized regional framework on combatting wildlife crimes, environmental governance

•Capacity building and training for policymakers, national agencies by acting as a regional platform

•Generates timely reports through assessing data in its system for policymaking and recommendations

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WEMS SECRETARIAT

WEMS Secretariat was recently established at AIT Solutions under Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand with the objective of replicating the initiative in Asia while scaling it up in Africa. The Secretariat will act as the primary contact point for collaborations on implementation of WEMS, designing of capacity development programmes and undertaking researches.

GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE

WEMS initiative was successfully launched in East Africa in 2011 through the Lusaka Agreement Task Force on Cooperative Enforcement Operations Directed at Illegal Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora (LATF). The African countries currently implementing WEMS include Kenya, Liberia, Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.

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Support for Implementation of WEMSWEMS is the mainstay of the WEMS Initiative. Funds contributed towards implementation of WEMS will help expand the network in Asia and Africa by supporting governments in adopting and customizing the system to address in line with their respective policies. The contributions will also enable the establishment of a community of practice for knowledge-sharing purpose.

PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

There are several ways to contribute to the WEMS Initiative and support the enforcement efforts in compliance with national legislations, CITES and other relevant MEAs:

GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE

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The information-sharing protocol under WEMS will be as depicted in the diagram below. For WEMS Africa, the LATF will facilitate the information exchange; while the role for WEMS Asia will be managed through the WEMS Secretariat at AIT.

NPMO: National Project Management Office | SPO: Sub-Project Office

WEMS Secretariat

COUNTRY B

COUNTRY Y

COUNTRY A

COUNTRY XLATF

SPO SPOSPO SPO

NPMO NPMO NPMO NPMO

CUSTOMS FOREST POLICE DEFENSE CUSTOMS FOREST POLICE DEFENSE CUSTOMS FOREST POLICE DEFENSE CUSTOMS FOREST POLICE DEFENSE

WEMS AsiaWEMS Africa

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Support for Researches and Knowledge Generation

Information is most valuable when used in an appropriate way. This type of support will fuel knowledge to generate researches, analyses to disseminate to policymakers. decisionmakers, practitioners and public to inform the key policies, decisions, actions and awareness.

The Secretariat welcomes collaboration with academic and research institutions, bilateral and multilateral development partners, INGOs, NGOs, private sector and other stakeholder organisations.

Support for Capacity Development

Capacity development is critical to optimize the value of WEMS. Contributions toward capacity development will help design programmes to equip the data collectors, compilers and analysers with the skills needed to ensure data quality and consistency; while for policymakers, decision-makers and practitioners to help develop pertinent policies, informed decisions and appropriate enforcement actions. The support will also boost the engagement of stakeholders in the community of practice.

To enhance the impact, the Secretariat is open for collaboration with governments, biltateral and multilateral development partners, INGOs, NGOs, private sector and other stakeholder organisations.

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Support for Infrastructure Development

Lack of infrastructure generally impedes successful realization of the value of tools like WEMS in developing countries. Funding earmarked for infrastructure development will be utilized to put into place the essential infrastructure needed to effectively deploy WEMS Initiative.

The Secretariat is open to support from private corporations, bilateral and multilateral development partners and stakeholder organisations.

For further information, please contact:

Tel: +66-2-524 6653Email: manesh@ait.asia

Mr. Manesh LacoulDeputy Director

WEMS Secretariat, AIT Solutions

Asian Institute of TechnologyP.O. Box 4, Klong Luang Pathumthani 12120Thailand

Technology Engineering Environment Development Management