Kenya has received an invitation to join the Nature Crimes Alliance, enhancing its global standing in the battle against environmental crimes.
Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry, Soipan Tuya, revealed that the invitation was extended during a meeting with her Norwegian counterpart, Minister for Climate and Environment H.E. Andreas Bjelland Eriksen, on the sidelines of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) in Gigiri, Nairobi.
During the engagement, Eriksen emphasized the imperative to dismantle silos and promote cross-border collaboration.
“Illicit flows of goods and capital drain developing countries of public resources, undermining trust in the rule of law, national institutions, and democratic processes,” he said.
Yulia Stange, Director of the Nature Crimes Alliance, underscored the necessity for collaboration among governments, law enforcement agencies, civil society organizations, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities.
“Our goal is to address this pressing need and ensure that nature-based solutions prevail,” said Stange.
The alliance serves as a platform for sharing best practices, technical support, resources, and funding opportunities, ultimately improving the global response to nature crimes.
The assembly, which concluded on Friday, convened at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi focused on sustainable solutions to climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, including the menace of plastics.
By fostering multilateral collaboration, UNEA-6 highlighted the urgency of collective environmental action and advanced the achievement of sustainable development goals.
