30 January 2011: The South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) was launched during the second meeting of the South Asia Experts Group on Illegal Wildlife Trade, which took place in Paro, Bhutan, from 29-30 January 2011.
In addition to Bhutan, the Governments of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka established SAWEN as a coordinated body, with the aim of countering threats from illegal exploitation and trafficking to some of South Asia’s key species, such as tigers, elephants and rhinos, as well as a variety of medicinal plants, timber, marine species, birds and reptiles.
The members of SAWEN also comprise the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). The network is based on “ASEAN-WEN,” formed by the 10 Southeast Asian countries that comprise the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).