The Head of the Gendarmerie, Brigadier General Jean Awad, received a delegation from the Anti-Poaching Unit (APU), during which ways to enhance efforts to combat illegal hunting and strengthen accountability mechanisms against violators were discussed, within the framework of protecting biodiversity and reinforcing the concept of environmental security.
During the meeting, Brigadier General Awad emphasized that environmental protection is a collective responsibility requiring effective coordination between official authorities and civil society, stressing that environmental security is an integral part of societal security and long-term stability.
The APU delegation included Adonis El Khatib, President of the Middle East Center for Sustainable Hunting (MESHC) and Field Coordinator for the Responsible Hunting Program at the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL); Shirine Bou Rafoul, Head of the APU and Director of the Lebanon Office of the international organization CABS for the protection of birds; and Gaby Nader, Director of Field Operations at the unit.
The meeting concluded with an emphasis on continuing coordination and cooperation, and on activating the implementation of laws in order to curb illegal hunting and protect Lebanon’s natural heritage.
This article was published on this date when the organization was known as the Middle East Sustainable Hunting Center. The name was later changed to the Middle East Center for Sustainable Harvest and Anti-Poaching.
