South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) को पहिलो महासभा काठमाडौंमा सम्पन्न

Machine-extracted for search and accessibility. It may contain errors and is not the official text; the attached document is the authoritative version.

First General Assembly

South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network
10- 11 September 2026
Kathmandu, Nepal

MEDIA SUMMARY Released on 11 September 2026
Kathmandu, Nepal
South Asian Countries Adopt Kathmandu Declaration and Regional Action Framework at Historic First
SAWEN General Assembly
Kathmandu, 11 September 2026: South Asian countries reaffirmed their collective commitment to combating
illegal wildlife trade and strengthening regional cooperation at the First General Assembly of the South Asia
Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN), held in Kathmandu, Nepal, on 10–11 September 2026.
The Assembly was chaired by Honourable Gita Chaudhary, Minister for Agriculture, Forests and Environment
of Nepal, and was inaugurated by Right Honourable Dol Prasad Aryal, Speaker of the House of
Representatives of Nepal. Honourable Abdul Awal Mintoo, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate
Change of Bangladesh, addressed the inaugural session. The Assembly programme was also addressed by
Honourable Shisir Khanal, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal, who highlighted the importance of regional
cooperation and collective responsibility in addressing transboundary challenges.
A major outcome was the adoption of the Kathmandu Declaration on Strengthening Regional Cooperation to
Combat Illegal Wildlife Trade in South Asia. The Declaration reaffirms the political commitment of Member
Countries to prevent, detect and combat illegal wildlife trade and strengthen responses to serious wildlife
crime. It calls for stronger information and intelligence sharing, coordinated enforcement and criminal-justice
cooperation, financial investigations, technology and research, as well as greater attention to the capacity,
safety and well-being of rangers and other frontline personnel. It also promotes public awareness, demand
reduction and stronger regional and international partnerships.
The Assembly also agreed to observe 30 January every year as “SAWEN Day”, commemorating the formal
launch of SAWEN in Bhutan in 2011.
Key Decisions of the General Assembly
The General Assembly adopted the SAWEN Implementation Plan 2026–2030 and endorsed the Three-Year
Programme of Work and Budget for 2026/27–2028/29. Priorities include regional enforcement and
intelligence cooperation, criminal-justice responses, capacity development, marine and freshwater wildlife
crime, international cooperation, research and knowledge management, demand reduction, and institutional
strengthening.

The Assembly adopted an annual contribution for Member Countries with effect from 1 January 2027, while
affirming Member Country ownership and host-country support as the institutional foundation of SAWEN,
complemented by external financial, technical and in-kind assistance.
A package of resolutions and decisions was also adopted covering regional intelligence and enforcement
cooperation, cyber and digital investigations, wildlife forensics, financial investigation, criminal justice,
capacity development, marine and freshwater wildlife crime, international cooperation, public awareness and
regional research. The Assembly further adopted its Rules of Procedure and considered a framework for the
future engagement and admission of Other Members.
Executive Committee and Technical Workshop
The 15th Meeting of the SAWEN Executive Committee, held on 9 September, prepared the ground for the
Assembly by reviewing the governance, programme, financial and policy documents and providing strategic
direction on the Implementation Plan, Programme of Work, proposed resolutions and Kathmandu
Declaration.
The Assembly was also preceded on 10 September by the South Asia Illegal Wildlife Trade Landscape
Workshop. Member Countries presented their national wildlife-crime landscapes, emerging trends,
enforcement experiences and priorities for cross-border cooperation. The workshop featured three keynote
presentations by regional and international experts, including representatives of TRAFFIC and the Global
Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC), alongside SAWEN's regional evidence on wildlife
crime. Discussions emphasized stronger information sharing, enforcement cooperation, financial and cyber
investigations, research and capacity development.
Local, Regional and International Cooperation
Representatives of Un agencies such as UNODC, the CITES Secretariat/ICCWC, and IGAs such as the
International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), ICIMOD, GSLEP and other partners participated in the programme and
emphasized the importance of continued regional and international cooperation.
The inaugural ceremony also featured the release of the Zero Poaching Toolkit 2026, the photo book “A
Journey of SAWEN”, and the institutional film “Evolution of SAWEN.” Delegates also expressed sympathy and
solidarity with the Government and people of Nepal following the recent floods.
From Decisions to Action
The First General Assembly marks SAWEN's transition towards a more structured phase of implementation,
accountability and regional cooperation. The Secretariat will work with Member Countries, the Executive
Committee, national focal points and partners to translate the Kathmandu Declaration, resolutions and
Implementation Plan into practical regional action.
“The decisions have been made and the direction has been given. Our responsibility now is to turn them into
action,” said Dr Krishna Prasad Acharya, Secretary General of SAWEN.
SAWEN comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, with its
Secretariat based in Kathmandu, Nepal. The First General Assembly represents a significant milestone in

strengthening South Asia's collective response to illegal wildlife trade through sustained cooperation, shared
knowledge and coordinated action.

Machine-extracted for search and accessibility. It may contain errors and is not the official text; the attached document is the authoritative version.

SAWEN/SEC/GA/2026/L.6/Rev.1

11 September 2026

First General Assembly
South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network
10 to 11 September 2026
Kathmandu, Nepal

Kathmandu Declaration
Strengthening Regional Cooperation to Combat Illegal Wildlife Trade in South Asia
We, the Ministers and Heads of Delegation of the Member Countries of the South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network,
meeting in Kathmandu, Nepal, at the First General Assembly of SAWEN,
Reaffirming the objectives and principles of the SAWEN Statute and our shared commitment to strengthen regional
cooperation in preventing, detecting and combating illegal wildlife trade;
Reaffirming also our commitments under relevant international conventions and frameworks, including CITES,
UNTOC the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Sustainable Development Goals, and recalling relevant
international decisions and processes concerning illegal wildlife trade and biodiversity conservation;
Recognizing that South Asia is home to globally significant biodiversity and shared ecosystems that sustain ecological
integrity, economic prosperity and the well-being of present and future generations;
Deeply concerned that illegal wildlife trade has evolved into an increasingly sophisticated form of transnational
organized crime, converging with corruption, illicit financial flows and other serious crimes, exploiting digital
technologies and porous borders, and increasingly involving illegal trade in live wild animals alongside wildlife parts
and derivatives;
Recognizing further that illegal wildlife trade presents evolving challenges to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem
integrity, public health, the rule of law, security and sustainable development, requiring stronger institutions,
scientific innovation and enhanced regional cooperation;
Acknowledging that effectively addressing illegal wildlife trade requires sustained political commitment, effective
institutions, predictable financing, strengthened regional cooperation and meaningful partnerships at national,
regional and international levels;
Recognizing the First General Assembly as a historic milestone in the institutional development of SAWEN as South
Asia's regional intergovernmental mechanism for combating illegal wildlife trade;
We hereby declare our collective commitment to advance our efforts in accordance with our national circumstances,
priorities and capabilities:
1.We affirm our strong political commitment to prevent, detect and combat illegal wildlife trade and associated
forms of transnational organized crime in South Asia, recognizing their threats to our region's natural heritage,
biodiversity, the rule of law, security and sustainable development.
2. We resolve to address serious wildlife crime, particularly when transnational in nature and involving organized
criminal groups, through coordinated criminal justice responses, including intelligence-led and financial
investigations, anti-money laundering measures, asset recovery and effective prosecution, with a view to
disrupting organized criminal networks operating within and across the countries of the region. We further

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SAWEN/SEC/GA/2026/L.6/Rev.1

11 September 2026

encourage Member Countries to actively support and engage in relevant regional and global initiatives aimed at
strengthening the recognition and treatment of serious wildlife crime as a form of transnational organized crime,
and at strengthening the international legal and institutional response to wildlife trafficking.
3. We commit to strengthening information and intelligence sharing, coordinated enforcement action and criminal
justice collaboration among Member Countries, consistent with national laws and applicable international
obligations.
4. We recognize the importance of predictable financial support, including Member Country contributions, and
reaffirm that strong Member Country ownership is fundamental to the effective and sustainable functioning of
SAWEN.
5. We commit to promoting science, technology, innovation, research and regional knowledge sharing to
strengthen responses to wildlife crime, combat biopiracy, illegal access to biological resources and emerging
threats.
6. We commit to strengthening the capacities, safety and well-being of rangers, forest officers and wildlife officers,
customs officers, police, prosecutors and other frontline personnel engaged in combating illegal wildlife trade
and protecting wildlife across the region
7. We commit to strengthening communication, education, public awareness, behavioural change and demand
reduction through meaningful engagement with communities, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, civil
society, academia, youth, women, media and relevant private sectors, including transport, logistics, financial
services, e-commerce and tourism.
8. We commit to strengthening bilateral, sub-regional and regional cooperation through SAWEN to address
transboundary wildlife crime and advance shared regional priorities.
9. We commit to strengthening cooperation with relevant international and regional conventions, mechanisms,
organizations and development partners, recognizing the shared responsibilities of source, transit and
destination countries.
10. We reaffirm our commitment to strengthening SAWEN as an effective, accountable and well-governed regional
intergovernmental mechanism for combating illegal wildlife trade.
11. We commit to reviewing progress in the implementation of this Declaration through the Executive Committee
and at future sessions of the General Assembly.
12. We agree to observe 30 January each year as “SAWEN Day”, commemorating the formal launch of SAWEN on
30 January 2011 in Paro, Bhutan, and to use the occasion to promote public awareness, regional cooperation
and collective action to combat wildlife crime across South Asia.
We call upon relevant international and regional organizations, development partners, financial institutions,
academia, civil society, the private sector and other stakeholders to strengthen collaboration with SAWEN and its
Member Countries in support of regional efforts to combat illegal wildlife trade.
United by our shared natural heritage and common responsibility, we reaffirm our determination to strengthen
regional solidarity, safeguard South Asia's biodiversity, uphold the rule of law and ensure that illegal wildlife trade
finds no safe haven in our region. We commit to translating this Declaration into concrete action through the SAWEN
Implementation Plan 2026 to 2030 and the decisions adopted by the First General Assembly.

Adopted by consensus at Kathmandu, Nepal, on the Eleventh Day of September Two Thousand and Twenty-Six.
SAWEN/SEC/GA/2026/L.6/Rev.1

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