The Kathmandu Declaration on Wildlife Enforcement

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Key takeaways

South Asian nations adopted the Kathmandu Declaration during the first General Assembly of SAWEN in Kathmandu, Nepal.
The agreement designates 30 January every year as SAWEN Day.
The South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) comprises eight member countries and launched formally on January 30, 2011.
The framework specifically targets illegal financial networks, asset recovery, cyber-enabled trafficking, and biopiracy across borders.

Environmental ministers and delegation heads from South Asian countries adopted the Kathmandu Declaration by consensus.
Member countries of the South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) approved this landmark agreement during their first General Assembly in Kathmandu, Nepal.

This multilateral regional consensus agreement strengthens joint operational efforts among South Asian nations to fight illegal wildlife trade and transnational organized crime.
The declaration was adopted under the guidance of the South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN).
It aims to move away from isolated domestic efforts and build an intelligence-led cross-border framework that targets illegal financial networks, online trafficking, and biopiracy.

The framework promotes anti-money laundering steps, financial investigations, and asset recovery to disrupt the money trails behind organized wildlife trafficking.
It improves intelligence sharing, joint investigations, and technology use to tackle online trafficking, biopiracy, and digital threats across borders.
It enhances the safety and skills of frontline workers like rangers, customs officers, police, and prosecutors while working with local communities and businesses to reduce demand for illegal wildlife products.
The agreement officially designates 30 January as SAWEN Day.

The South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) is a regional intergovernmental wildlife law enforcement agency that includes eight South Asian countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
The permanent Secretariat of SAWEN operates from Kathmandu, Nepal.
The organization was formally launched on January 30, 2011.
Its main goal is to coordinate, strengthen, and harmonize wildlife law enforcement protocols across South Asia to stop poaching, trafficking, and habitat destruction through regional teamwork.

It helps member countries share intelligence, track smuggling routes, and run joint operations against transnational wildlife crimes.
It aligns national wildlife laws, penalties, and standards with CITES to strengthen regional enforcement against illegal trade.
It offers specialized training for customs officers, police, judges, and wildlife staff in forensics, species identification, and anti-smuggling methods.
It works alongside global organizations like INTERPOL, WCO, UNODC, and TRAFFIC to control the international demand and supply of illegal wildlife products.