East Africa | ENACT Africa

Kenya’s 10-year plan to save the pancake tortoise

These beautifully patterned creatures face extinction due to habitat loss, land clearance, the illegal pet trade and climate change.

30 / 09 / 2025 by Halkano Wario & Noor Ali

Sudan’s war drives illicit car trade into Chad

Porous borders and limited law enforcement enable this criminal economy in border regions between the two countries.

29 / 09 / 2025 by Oluwole Ojewale

Can anti-money laundering amendments get Kenya off FATF’s grey list?

The country’s new anti-money laundering and anti-terror financing amendments target deficiencies cited by the Financial Action Task Force.

09 / 09 / 2025 by Halkano Wario

Access to precursor chemicals fuels synthetic drug production in Kenya

Entry of Mexican drug cartels points to expanded synthetic drug manufacturing capacity in East Africa.

21 / 07 / 2025 by Valtino Omolo

Somalia’s gulper shark oil trade lands species in deep water

A clandestine syndicate in the country’s Bosaso port city is threatening the entire gulper shark family.

01 / 07 / 2025 by Halkano Wario

Informality and criminality in East Africa’s gold trade

While artisanal gold mining supports millions of livelihoods across the region, inadequate legal frameworks enable organised criminal activities throughout the sector.

01 / 07 / 2025 by Willis Okumu & Halkano Wario

South Sudan’s ‘king of woods’ fills military coffers

East African criminal cooperation in teak smuggling sustains military factions in South Sudan and meets the high demand for teak from India.

25 / 06 / 2025 by Willis Okumu & Josephine Muthama

Somali refugees in Kenya fall victim to Libyan-based traffickers

Trans-Saharan trafficking syndicates lure youngsters from the Dadaab camps with the promise of a better life in Europe.

15 / 05 / 2025 by Willis Okumu & Valtino Omolo

Illegal fishing risks the lives of Somalia’s crustacean fishers

The scarcity of fish is pushing fisherfolk to use improvised diving gear at greater depths further from shore.

12 / 05 / 2025 by Halkano Wario

ENACT research helps Kenya cut illegal sandalwood trade

ISS worked with Kenyan police and forestry officers to significantly reduce the lucrative illicit trade in sandalwood.

15 / 04 / 2025

Cheetah numbers decreasing fast in the Horn of Africa

A multi-pronged approach by government agencies in the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula is essential to curb cheetah trafficking.

08 / 04 / 2025 by Willis Okumu & Valtino Omolo

African drug markets and policy developments

Africa’s policy and responses to the multi-faceted drug trade and user markets are showing progress.

14 / 03 / 2025