The Wildlife Poaching Crisis in Africa

The illegal trade in wild fauna and flora has evolved into a highly organized
transnational enterprise, drawing in powerful international crime syndicates and posing
an acute challenge to global law enforcement. The 1973 Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), though established
outside the UN framework, now stands at the intersection of collaborative international
efforts involving CITES bodies, Interpol, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC),
and the World Bank. Together, these actors form an expanding web of cooperation
aimed at curbing wildlife crime.

This regime is reinforced by parallel instruments such as the UN conventions on
transnational organized crime and corruption, as well as environmental treaties like the
Convention on Biological Diversity. Yet, many states—particularly across the African
continent—continue to face severe practical and structural obstacles in tackling these
offences effectively.

In this lecture, Professor Hennie Strydom will illuminate the global dimensions of
wildlife crime, unpack its complex connections to transnational criminal networks, and
explore how international and regional legal frameworks might be strengthened to
safeguard the planet’s threatened biodiversity.

A reception will follow after the lecture.

Bio

Professor Hennie Strydom is Professor of Public International Law at the University of
Johannesburg and is the South African Research Chair in International Law. His research
spans public international law, international human rights law, international
humanitarian law, international environmental law, and regional peace and security, with
a particular interest in the role of the United Nations and other international
organisations. Professor Strydom is also the President of the South African Branch of the
International Law Association.

Registration

Please register via the following link no later than Friday 27 February:
https://participate-sccl.se/view.php?id=496551

Welcome!