The South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) in cooperation with the Government of Nepal is organizing its First General Assembly from 2 to 3 November 2025 in Kathmandu, Nepal. The First General Assembly aims to guide SAWEN's future actions and strategic interventions through planned decisions, strengthen governance, and foster cooperation and knowledge sharing among member countries and partners to combat illegal wildlife trade.

The Assembly will bring together a broad range of stakeholders engaged in combating wildlife crime in South Asia. From each Member Country, representatives from law enforcement agencies such as forest and wildlife, police, and relevant ministries will participate. Ministers and senior officials are expected to lead their country delegations and key deliberations. Regional and global partners including representatives from multilateral environmental agreements, UN bodies, technical institutions, regional centers, research institutes, international NGOs, Global WENs, and development partners are invited to attend the Assembly.

The General Assembly will feature both formal sessions and side events/workshops. Member countries will share the existing wildlife crime issues, challenges, practiced solutions and success stories achieved through their involvement in their respective countries and areas of interventions. Invited organizations will also shed light on the global practices to fight against the wildlife crime.

A workshop on “Wildlife Crime Threat Landscape and Strategic Response in South Asia” will also be carried during the event. Different posters, videos on wildlife crime and associated threats will also be displayed during the event.

In addition, meetings of the Executive Committee (EC) will take place in coinciding with the Assembly. The First General Assembly is expected to deliver a set of formal strategic and institutional outcomes that will shape the next phase of SAWEN’s development and reiterate the region’s collective commitment to combating illegal wildlife trade in South Asia and beyond.