We Centre for Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development (CESSD) at The Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) are pleased to announce our partnership with Environmental Foundation (Guarantee) Limited (EFL) in the implementation of the Sri Lanka Counter Wildlife Trafficking (CWT) Awareness, Capacity & Empowerment (ACE) Program.

The illegal trade of wildlife is a critical issue that poses significant threats to the environment, economy, and public health. As an educational institution committed to sustainable development and environmental conservation, OUSL recognizes the urgent need for collective action to combat wildlife trafficking and protect Sri Lanka’s precious biodiversity.

The Sri Lanka CWT ACE Program is a collaborative initiative between EFL and OUSL aimed at enhancing formal and informal interactions between Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs), Prosecution, Judiciary from detection of wildlife trafficking to seizure of assets and prosecution of wildlife traffickers. Working with local stakeholders and international experts, EFL will establish systems that actively operate beyond the grant period by developing locally contextualized Combatting Wildlife Trafficking (CWT) tools, legal guidelines, interagency mechanisms, and national and cross-border networks.

Through this partnership, CESSD at OUSL and EFL are committed to fostering a society that values and protects wildlife, ensuring a sustainable and vibrant future for generations to come.