On 28 May, Viet Nam’s Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai, Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Cao Duc Phat and Deputy Minister Vu Tan Tam met CITES Secretary-General, John E. Scanlon, in Ha Noi on the occasion of the 20th Anniversary of Viet Nam joining CITES to discuss the enhanced enforcement efforts being taken by Viet Nam to combat illegal wildlife trade and to supress demand for illegally traded products.

In his speech at the official function to celebrate the 20th Anniversary, Mr. Scanlon noted the many and varied challenges faced by Viet Nam and noted with great appreciation Viet Nam’s domestic efforts to address these challenges, in particular since the last meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES held in Bangkok in 2013.

“The Prime Minister’s recent Directive to strengthen wildlife enforcement effort across all Ministries, sectors and local authorities and to stop the demand for illegally traded products – together with the development of the Action Plan to support it – represents a major milestone in CITES implementation in Viet Nam” said Scanlon.

Scanlon also noted Viet Nam’s intention to implement the ICCWC (International Consortium on Combatting Wildlife Crime) Wildlife and Forest Crime Analytic Toolkit and that it had incorporated CITES priorities into its revised (draft) National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), which includes combating illegal wildlife trade and will open up opportunities to attract GEF funding.

More information: juan.vasquez@cites.org