USAID provides funding to boost wildlife crime prosecution in Mozambique
As first appeared in Integrity Magazine in Mozambique, here. Written by Omardine Omar.
February 28 2023
The funds will also support legal action against human rights violations and corruption in remote areas
President of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Mozambique, Adelino Muchanga, said the southern African nation is committed to protecting its biodiversity. Image by Integrity Magazine.
The US Government, through its Agency for International Development (USAID), launched a new program, the Justice Sector Technical Support Activity (JUSTA), which builds on 10 years of support for the rule of law in Mozambique. This program addresses the lack of access to court services and the lack of resources to prosecute cases of wildlife crimes, corruption and human rights abuse in Northern Mozambique.
Emphasising the United States of America's commitment to localised assistance, this activity was co-designed by judges, attorneys and trainers from the Supreme Court, the Attorney General's Office, and the Matola-based Judicial Training Center to the west of Maputo, and will be implemented with the collaboration of these institutions.
Through a direct donation of US$2.2 million (£18.35 million), JUSTA will provide on-the-job training to approximately 70 judges and 110 prosecutors to prosecute wildlife trafficking crimes, protect human rights, and fight corruption in the provinces of Cabo Delgado, Nampula, and Niassa.
Given the challenges of accessing justice in remote areas, JUSTA will support the use of mobile courts, allowing judges to reach citizens where they live and protect their rights. To increase efficiency, JUSTA will help the Supreme Court and the Attorney General's Office to implement an automated case management monitoring system. JUSTA will also support the fight against corruption by strengthening internal audit offices and judicial inspections.
At the launch ceremony on 22 February, the President of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Mozambique, Adelino Muchanga, stated “we want every magistrate, every court official and every judicial employee to be an agent of change, a defender of the rule of law… [and] we want to do our part and reiterate our commitment to protecting biodiversity, fighting corruption, protecting human rights and fighting terrorism.”
At the same event, USAID Mission Director Helen Pataki emphasised the commitment to the rule of law.
“A strong justice sector is essential to improve the quality of life of all Mozambican citizens. JUSTA will work to improve coordination between justice sector institutions and promote a fair and efficient justice system. The United States stands with Mozambicans, strengthening public financial management, civil society and independent media, democratic processes and institutions, the rule of law, and combating wildlife trafficking,” she said.
Support for democracy, human rights, and governance is a critical component of the USG's broader assistance in Mozambique.
In close collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Mozambique, the US Government provides more than $700 million (£584 million) in annual assistance to improve the quality of education and health care, promote economic prosperity, and support the nation's overall development.
This article is reproduced here as part of the African Conservation Journalism Programme, funded in Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe by USAID’s VukaNow: Activity. Implemented by the international conservation organisation Space for Giants, it aims to expand the reach of conservation and environmental journalism in Africa, and bring more African voices into the international conservation debate. Written articles from the Mozambican and Angolan cohorts are translated from Portuguese. Broadcast stories remain in the original language.
