Mid-term performance evaluation of Asia's regional response to endangered species trafficking (ARREST) program

The purpose of the mid-term evaluation was to reflect upon program implementation to date and look forward to opportunities for increased program success and sustainability. The evaluation was framed by three objectives: (1) assess progress to date toward agreed-upon program objectives and intermediate results; (2) identify implementation challenges, corrective actions, and/or areas for improvement related to program management and achievement of expected results for the duration of the program period; and (3) recommend specific opportunities to enhance regional level impact and further strengthen the regional Wildlife Enforcement Network (WEN) and sustainability approach. The evaluation concluded that the ARREST program is off to a strong start and important progress has been made by the Freeland Foundation and its partners on many elements of the program during its first two years, particularly in its law enforcement training and capacity-building activities. ARREST is exceptionally well positioned to help address rising USG interest in and concern about wildlife trafficking both regionally and globally, including its intersection with a broad range of other high-priority issues such as transnational drug and human trafficking crimes and emerging pandemic threats resulting from the illegal transport of live animals across borders without health inspections. The program is on track to meet many of the activity-level results as set out in the Performance Management Plan (PMP). Results to date at the Intermediate Results (IR) level of the Results Framework (RF) -- the level from which the key evaluation questions have been drawn -- are varied: modest progress in reducing consumer demand, significant progress in strengthening law enforcement capacity and mixed progress in strengthening and sustaining regional learning networks and partnerships. Extensive input from document review and key informant interviews in five countries (China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam) identified a number of ways in which the ARREST program can be strengthened during its remaining three years. Key recommendations are included in the report along with suggested lead responsible parties and entities to implement the recommendations. (Excerpt, modified)