Events Calendar
CAR-WEN General Meeting
Date: 10 February 2026
Location: Virtual (Microsoft Teams)
Access: Non-public events open to CAR-WEN members and Special Observers
The CAR-WEN General Meetings bring together representatives from member governments and partner organisations to share updates, highlight key initiatives, and coordinate upcoming network activities.
CAR-WEN Leadership Meeting
Date: 12 January 2026
Location: Virtual (Microsoft Teams)
Access: Non-public events open to the CAR-WEN Leadership Team
The CAR-WEN Leadership Meetings gather the network’s core coordination and advisory teams to guide strategic direction and oversee implementation progress.
CAR-WEN General Meeting
Date: 09 December 2025
Location: Virtual (Microsoft Teams)
Access: Non-public events open to CAR-WEN members and Special Observers
The CAR-WEN General Meetings bring together representatives from member governments and partner organisations to share updates, highlight key initiatives, and coordinate upcoming network activities.
The CAR-WEN: Advancing Wildlife Enforcement in the Wider Caribbean CITES CoP20 Side Event
Date: 5 December 2025
Time: 12:15–13:45
Location: Saker Falcon Room
Organised by: Caribbean Wildlife Enforcement Network (CAR-WEN) Working Group
Hosted within: 20th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (CITES CoP20)
With support from: Sustainable Innovation Initiatives (SII) and regional partners
The CAR-WEN: Advancing Wildlife Enforcement in the Wider Caribbean side event at CITES CoP20 will introduce the development, purpose, and operational architecture of the Caribbean Wildlife Enforcement Network, an emerging regional mechanism designed to strengthen prevention, detection, and response to wildlife crime across the Wider Caribbean.
Drawing on the CAR-WEN’s draft Memorandum of Understanding, four-phase Strategic Plan, and ongoing catalysing activities, the session will outline how the Working Group, representing more than 25 participating governments, is advancing coordinated enforcement capacity aligned with CITES and ICCWC guidance.
Participants will receive an updated overview of wildlife crime trends in the region and observe an applied demonstration of the Rapid Assessment Toolkit for Wildlife Crime and Enforcement, which supports rapid identification of priority risks and response options. The event forms part of ongoing preparations for the formal establishment of the CAR-WEN, expected to open for signature in 2026.
For additional information, we share with you the side event’s concept note and presentation slides.
Global Wildlife Enforcement Networks, Dialogue on Inter WEN Cooperation CITES CoP20 Side Event
Date: 4 December 2025
Time: 17:15–18:45
Location: Saiga Room
Organised by: South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN), Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF) and Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), Nepal
Hosted within: 20th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (CITES CoP20)
The Global Wildlife Enforcement Networks: Dialogue on Inter-WEN Cooperation side event at CITES CoP20 will introduce the role of regional Wildlife Enforcement Networks (WENs) as practical cooperation platforms that connect customs, police, wildlife authorities, and prosecutors to strengthen prevention, detection, and response to illegal wildlife trade.
Drawing on the operational experience of SAWEN, the Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF), and other regional networks, the session will outline how WENs support CITES implementation in practice through capacity development, joint operations, information sharing, legal and institutional reforms, and coordinated threat assessments. The event will also highlight achievements and challenges, and emphasise the value of cross-regional collaboration to address this transnational crime.
Participants will receive an overview of recent regional and cross-regional trends in illegal wildlife trade and related enforcement responses, alongside good practices and lessons learned from WEN operations. The discussion will explore opportunities to strengthen inter-WEN cooperation through common frameworks, shared reporting tools, and joint capacity-building initiatives, while encouraging more consistent and coordinated donor engagement to sustain and scale WEN activities.
The event forms part of broader efforts to promote practical inter-WEN cooperation and mutual capacity building, bringing together WENs and partners including the CITES Secretariat, INTERPOL, UNODC, and CITES Management Authorities to strengthen collaboration against illegal wildlife trade.
For additional information, we share the side event’s programme and presentation slides.
20th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (CITES CoP20)
Date: 24 November – 5 December 2025
Location: Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Organised by: Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
Participating Organisations: Contracting Parties to CITES, Observers, Intergovernmental and Non-Governmental Organizations, and Partner Networks including the CAR-WEN
Official link: CITES CoP20 Event Page
The 20th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (CITES CoP20) will bring together representatives of more than 180 Parties to review the implementation of the Convention and decide on measures to ensure that international trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. Discussions will address amendments to the CITES Appendices, compliance and enforcement mechanisms, and new initiatives to strengthen global cooperation against wildlife crime.
The Caribbean Wildlife Enforcement Network (CAR-WEN) Working Group will participate as an Observer, engaging with Parties and partners to highlight enforcement priorities in the Wider Caribbean. The Working Group will also host a dedicated side event showcasing initiatives, sharing lessons learned, and outlining future strategies for combating wildlife crime in the Wider Caribbean. In addition, CAR-WEN will engage with other Wildlife Enforcement Networks (WENs) to exchange insights and contribute to the development of shared global priorities for strengthening enforcement cooperation.
CAR-WEN Leadership Meeting
Date: 17 November 2025
Location: Virtual (Microsoft Teams)
Access: Non-public events open to the CAR-WEN Leadership Team
The CAR-WEN Leadership Meetings gather the network’s core coordination and advisory teams to guide strategic direction and oversee implementation progress.
United for Wildlife Global Summit 2025
Date: 4-6 November 2025
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Organised by: United for Wildlife
Participating Organisations: Global network of organisations
LinkedIn URL: United for Wildlife Global Summit 2025
The summit will bring together global leaders to address environmental crime and protect wildlife, with a specific focus on unified action to end wildlife trafficking. This event will highlight Brazil's role as a global leader in conservation due to its immense biodiversity and largest tropical rainforest.
The Caribbean Wildlife Enforcement Network (CAR-WEN) will be represented at the summit, highlighting its ongoing efforts to strengthen regional collaboration and enforcement capacity, including the development of a new Rapid Assessment Toolkit for wildlife crime now in its pilot stage in Jamaica.
CAR-WEN General Meeting
Date: 21 October 2025
Location: Virtual (Microsoft Teams)
Access: Non-public events open to CAR-WEN members and Special Observers
The CAR-WEN General Meetings bring together representatives from member governments and partner organisations to share updates, highlight key initiatives, and coordinate upcoming network activities.
13th Conference of the Parties to the SPAW Protocol (SPAW CoP13)
Date: 13–16 October 2025
Location: Kingston, Jamaica
Organised by: UNEP Cartagena Convention Secretariat and the SPAW Regional Activity Centre (SPAW-RAC)
Participating Organisations: Contracting Parties to the Cartagena Convention and the SPAW Protocol, Observers, and Partner Networks including CAR-WEN
Official link: UNEP Event Page
The 13th Conference of the Parties to the SPAW Protocol (SPAW CoP13) is the Caribbean’s foremost policy forum for strengthening regional biodiversity governance under the Cartagena Convention. It brings together national focal points, technical experts, and partner institutions to review implementation progress, update species and protected area listings, and reinforce cooperative frameworks for environmental protection.
The Caribbean Wildlife Enforcement Network (CAR-WEN) Working Group will participate as an Observer, engaging with government delegations and partner organisations to advance collaboration between enforcement agencies, conservation NGOs, and policy institutions across the Wider Caribbean.