Rare Animals Rescued as Police Respond to USAID Drive
Highway patrol officers in southern Thailand intercepted a pick-up truck bound for Bangkok and discovered 440 pounds of endangered pangolins (scaly anteaters) in a hidden compartment. Heightened awareness of illegal wildlife trade by the USAID- and U.S. Department of State-supported ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN) is encouraging greater vigilance. The Thai Highway Police last month took part in ASEAN-WEN’s Nature Crime Investigation Course.

USAID Funds Financing Strategy to Support Water Projects
USAID/RDMA's Environmental Cooperation-Asia (ECO-Asia) program is funding a $25,000 regional water financing strategy with the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP). The project, announced in Manila, will develop business models for banks and financial institutions to assist the water sector in Asia. The study will focus on water utilities, small entrepreneurs and households. Results will be presented at a regional water financing workshop in November.

USAID Signs Pact to Improve Water and Sanitation in Asia
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), International Water Association (IWA) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed an agreement in Stockholm to establish an Asia-wide partnership called WaterLinks that will provide clean drinking water and sanitation throughout the region by coordinating and promoting Water Operation Partnerships (WOPs). WOPs pair, or "twin," water operators searching for solutions with operators who have already surmounted similar challenges. IWA will broker new WOPs through its member network, ADB will finance the ventures, and ADB and USAID will leverage their resources to support the WOPs.

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