EAGLE network (Eco Activists for Governance and Law Enforcement) is a
non-governmental organisation founded by the activist
Ofir Drori to combat crime linked to the trafficking of protected animals in Africa. The organisation also fights corruption, which is detected in the majority of its activities.
EAGLE works on a model of collaboration with governments in investigations, arrest operations, legal follow-up and media activities aimed at enforcing the law.
It uses investigators who have infiltrated criminal networks to arrest them in coordination with national authorities.
Structure
EAGLE is a network of eight national non-governmental organisations in
sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa is, geographically, the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lies south of the Sahara. These include West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, and Southern Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the List of sov ...
. The first NGO in the network is named LAGA and was created by Ofir Drori in Cameroon in 2003.
Other members are Conservation Justice in Gabon created in 2017 by Luc Mathot, EAGLE Sénégal in 2017, PALF in Congo in 2010, EAGLE Togo in 2013, and EAGLE Ivory Coast in 2017.
Arrests
In 20 years, the EAGLE network has led to the arrest of 2,000 traffickers
an average of 100 criminals per year. In 2019, the network arrested 171 traffickers.
EAGLE Côte d'Ivoire has led to the arrest of 79 traffickers in 6 years,
including a major case in 2017, with the arrest of six criminals and the seizure of half a tonne of pangolin scales, half a tonne of ivory and firearms. EAGLE Senegal is behind the biggest arrest of ivory traffickers in the country's history. In 2015, EAGLE Guinea (GALF), in cooperation with the Guinean law enforcement agencies, arrested the national CITES officer, Ansoumane Doumbouya, in a case involving the corruption of animal export permits
including bonobos, gorillas and chimpanzees.
Books
A book on the origin of EAGLE ''The Last Great Ape: A Journey Through Africa and a Fight for the Heart of the Continent'' was co-written by
Ofir Drori and David McDannald. A second book, ''
Pour une poignée d'ivoire
''Pour une poignée d'ivoire'' (''For a Fistful of Ivory'') is an autobiographical book written by Jean-Claude Vignoli about his work hunting animal traffickers in Africa. It was published by Éditions Favre in February 2023.
The book explains ho ...
'', about an operation in Côte d'Ivoire in 2018, was written by
Jean-Claude Vignoli
Jean-Claude Vignoli is an activist, journalist and writer, born in Geneva, Switzerland. He is the co-founder of UPR Info, a Geneva-based human rights NGO. UPR Info is the first NGO working on the Universal Periodic Review process. He is a jou ...
.
Documentaries
In 2016,
The Ivory Game
''The Ivory Game'' is a 2016 American documentary film, directed by Kief Davidson and Richard Ladkani. The film examines the ivory trade, which has become a global concern, pitting governments and environmental preservationalists against poachers ...
recounts the work of EAGLE Togo. In 2023, Conservation Justice is the subject of a documentary by Maxime Ginolin depicting the NGO activities.
References
External links
EAGLE Network
Wildlife smuggling
International nongovernmental organizations
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