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Preamble

The International Criminal Police Organization-Interpol (hereinafter referred to as Interpol)
and
The Lusaka Agreement Task Force-LATF (hereinafter referred to as LATF),

Wishing to co-ordinate their efforts within the framework of the missions assigned to them;

Recognizing that Interpol is an intergovernmental organization responsible for ensuring and promoting the widest possible mutual assistance between all the criminal police authorities within the limits of the laws existing in the different countries and in the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

Recognizing that LATF is an intergovernmental organization whose objective is to reduce and ultimately eliminate illegal cross-border trade in wild fauna and flora;

Recognizing that the illegal trade in wild fauna and flora is detrimental to the world's ecosystems, and is prejudicial to the planet's natural heritage and to the economic interests of States;

Noting that the increase in illegal trade in wild fauna and flora necessitates that police authorities intensify their surveillance and enforcement measures;

Noting that the Interpol General Assembly has urged the National Central Bureaus to assist in cases involving illegal trafficking in specimens of wild fauna and flora, and has recommended that the Members of Interpol urge their governments to do their utmost to ensure that measures are taken to control the illegal wild life trade;

Noting that Interpol has increased its involvement in the prevention of the illegal trade in wild fauna and flora, inter alia, by concluding a Memorandum of Understanding between the General Secretariat of Interpol and the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES);

Noting that LATF has continuously carried out cross-border joint law enforcement field operations and international investigations related to wildlife crime;

Noting that the Lusaka Agreement that established LATF is a Multilateral Environmental Agreement adopted under the auspices of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), and that to promote its objective LATF has concluded a Memorandum of Understanding with the CITES Secretariat and with the Organization for Conservation of African Wildlife (OCFSA), and has established working relations with several governmental and non-governmental institutions dedicated to the protection of wild fauna and flora;  

Recognizing the desirability of Interpol and LATF co-operating in combating illegal trade in wild fauna and flora;

Have agreed on the following:

Purpose

The purpose of the present Co-operation Agreement is to establish a framework for co-operation between the Parties, within their respective competencies and subject to their respective rules and regulations, thus facilitating the prevention and suppression of the illegal trade in wild fauna and flora.

Mutual consultation

1. Interpol and LATF shall consult regularly on policy issues and matters of common interest for the purpose of realizing their objectives and co-ordinating their respective activities.
   
   
2. Interpol and LATF shall exchange information on developments in any of their fields and projects that are of mutual interest and shall take each other's observations concerning such activities into consideration with a view to promoting effective co-operation.
   
   
3. When appropriate, consultation shall be arranged at the required level between representatives of LATF and Interpol to agree upon the most effective way in which to organize particular activities and to optimize the use of their resources in compliance with their respective mandates.

Exchange of information

1. Interpol and LATF shall combine their efforts to achieve the best use of all available information relevant to the illegal trade in wild fauna and flora.
   
   
2. Subject to such arrangements as may be necessary for the safeguarding of the security and confidentiality of information, Interpol and LATF shall ensure full and prompt exchange of information and documents concerning matters of common interest.
   
   
3. Information communicated by Interpol to LATF shall be used by LATF exclusively for the purposes of the prevention or suppression of transnational ordinary law crime, with due respect for national laws and international law.
   
   
4. If an item of information communicated by Interpol to LATF is modified or deleted, Interpol shall inform LATF so that the latter may keep its own archives up to date. Interpol shall not be liable in the event that the use by LATF of an item of information is prejudicial to an individual's or entity's interests, if Interpol has informed LATF that that item of information has been modified or deleted.
   
   
5. Unless otherwise specified, LATF shall keep information communicated by Interpol confidential. It may use information, which was specified as non-confidential, and provided that Interpol agrees, exclusively for the purposes of awareness-raising, education and training, with due respect for national laws and international law.
   
   
6. Communication of information by Interpol to LATF shall be subject to Interpol's regulations. Communication of information by LATF to Interpol shall be subject to LATF's regulations.

Reciprocal representation

1. Arrangements shall be made for reciprocal representation at Interpol and LATF meetings convened under their respective auspices and which consider matters in which the other Party has an interest or technical competence.
   
   
2. The Director of LATF and the Secretary General of Interpol shall each designate a person to act as a focal point with a view to ensuring the implementation of the provisions of the present Co-operation Agreement.

Technical co-operation

1. Interpol and LATF shall, in the interest of their respective activities, seek each other's expertise to optimize the effects of such activities.
   
   
2. LATF shall review, at Interpol's request, projects at national, regional and global levels in order to provide comments and suggestions appropriate to its domain of expertise.
   
   
3. By mutual agreement, LATF shall associate itself in the development and execution of programmes, projects and activities relating particularly to crimes and offences committed in the field of illegal trade in wild fauna and flora.
   
   
4. Joint activities to be conducted under the present Co-operation Agreement shall be subject to the approval of individual project documents by both Parties and shall be monitored under an agreed mechanism.
   
   
5. Interpol and LATF shall co-operate in evaluating such programmes, projects and activities as have common interest, subject to mutual agreement on a case-by-case basis.

Personnel arrangements

Subject to their relevant internal regulations, LATF and Interpol shall examine the possibility of organizing the exchange of personnel on a temporary basis. They will enter into special arrangements, if necessary, for that purpose.

Entry into force, modification and duration

1. The present Co-operation Agreement shall enter into force 60 days after it was signed by the Secretary General of Interpol and the Director of LATF, subject to the approval of Interpol's General Assembly and the consent of the Governing Council of Lusaka Agreement.
   
   
2. The present Co-operation Agreement may be modified by mutual consent expressed in writing. It may also be revoked by either Party by giving six months' notice to the other Party.
   
   
3. In witness whereof, the Secretary General of the International Criminal Police Organization-Interpol and the Director of the Lusaka Agreement Task Force-LATF have signed the present Co-operation Agreement in two copies, in English, on the dates appearing under their respective signatures.