Terrorist and militant groups operating
in East Africa make tens of millions of dollars annually out of poaching
and illegal trade in forest products, according to a new report.
One
group is estimated to make between $38 million and $56 million per year
from the illegal trade in charcoal alone, says the report by the United
Nations Environment Programme (Unep) and Interpol.
Although
the report did not mention the terrorist group, the latest events in
the region point to the Islamist Al Shabaab insurgents based in Somalia
who have killed hundreds of Kenyans in recent attacks.
The report titled The Environmental Crime Crisis, A Rapid Response Assessment, was released Tuesday at the first United Nations Environment Assembly (Unea) in Nairobi.
Action
against environmental crime, which includes the illegal trade in
wildlife and timber products, is high on the agenda of hundreds of
environment ministers, law enforcement officers, the judiciary and
senior UN officials at the meeting.
In total, the
report says, militia and terrorist groups in and around African nations
with ongoing conflicts may earn $111 to $289 million annually from their
involvement in and taxing of the illegal or unregulated charcoal trade.
Global
environmental crime, worth up to $213 billion each year, is reportedly
helping finance criminals, militia and terrorist groups and threatening
the security and sustainable development of many nations.
“Beyond
immediate environmental impacts, the illegal trade in natural resources
is depriving developing economies of billions of dollars in lost
revenues just to fill the pockets of criminals,” said UN
Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.
CLICK HERE to read the full report in The Citizen.
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