INL Grant: Strengthening Efforts to Combat Wildlife Trafficking in Central Asia

INL aims to combat wildlife trafficking (CWT) through effective programming at the national, regional, and international levels. For this funding opportunity, INL intends to focus on Central Asia. Due to long and often remote borders with China, Central Asia has a significant wildlife trafficking problem that is currently growing unabated. Poaching is an ongoing and growing problem in the region. In addition, criminal networks are increasingly exploiting gaps in Central Asia, through which they are able to then move illegal products into China. It is critically important that the nations of Central Asia improve their capacity to CWT to mitigate their vulnerability to transnational criminal operations. The ultimate goal of this program is to increase Central Asian governments’ desire and ability to CWT and disrupt the criminal organizations that perpetrate this heinous crime.

This program will conduct activities in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, with the possibility of expanding to other countries in Central Asia in future years, pending INL approval and as conditions permit.

Applicants must demonstrate prior success in working with and obtaining buy-in from government institutions in the benefiting countries. In addition, applicants must explain how they will coordinate with and complement existing CWT programs in the region.

1. Priority Countries Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan

2. Project Goals The goal of this program is to improve Central Asia’s will and capacity to investigate, arrest, prosecute, convict, and sentence to the fullest extent of the law the perpetrators of wildlife crime. To achieve this goal, INL seeks to fund programs that will: 1. Increase the interdiction of illicit trade; 2. Build investigative and enforcement functions; 3. Enhance prosecutorial and judicial capacity; and/or 4. Develop cross-border regional cooperation.

To combat wildlife trafficking in Central Asia

To improve Central Asia’s will and capacity to investigate, arrest, prosecute, convict, and sentence the perpetrators of wildlife crime, in accordance with international best practices and human rights standards.

For this funding opportunity, INL intends to focus on Central Asia. Due to long and often remote borders with China, Central Asia has a significant wildlife trafficking problem that is currently growing unabated. Poaching is an ongoing and growing problem in the region. In addition, criminal networks are increasingly exploiting gaps in Central Asia, through which they are able to then move illegal products into China. It is critically important that the nations of Central Asia improve their capacity to CWT to mitigate their vulnerability to transnational criminal operations. The ultimate goal of this program is to increase Central Asian governments’ desire and ability to CWT and disrupt the criminal organizations that perpetrate this heinous crime.