22 countries move for stronger action on wildlife crimes
UNB
Legal and justice officials from 22 countries spanning Asia-Pacific and Africa on Wednesday advanced their common understanding of the key elements and provisions needed for effective legal frameworks and coordinated efforts to tackle the multi-billion-dollar illegal trade in wildlife and forest products, reports UNB.
Over 90 participants held two days of deliberations at the Africa-Asia Pacific Symposium in Bangkok, Thailand on Strengthening Legal Frameworks to Combat Wildlife Crime.
It was organised by the United Nations and its partners, according to a message UNB received here from UN Environment Asia Pacific.
Wildlife crime is a development issue, fueling corruption, disrupting rule of law and deepening poverty and inequality. Strong national laws and criminal justice systems are an essential foundation of efforts to combat wildlife and forest crimes, Chief of UNDPs Regional Policy and Programme Support for Asia and the Pacific Caitlin Wiesen said.
Regional Director, UN Environment Asia Pacific Office Dechen Tsering emphasised the need for stepping up the fight against wildlife crime.
We need strong laws and regulations are critical if were to stop organised criminal networks that operate in these two regions. We also need to talk more with each other, network and share what were doing across borders and regions and this symposium is a step forward in that process, she added.
The participants at the symposium included senior ministry officials, prosecutors, attorneys general and parliamentarians.
The event featured exchanges in developing, enacting and enforcing effective national laws to combat wildlife crime, including illegal trade in timber and other forest products.
It also discussed and advanced practical mechanisms for strengthening inter-regional coordination between Africa and Asia Pacific.
The participants identified and recommended key elements that should be included in national legal frameworks relevant to combating to wildlife crimes. This includes, amongst others, provisions on the penalization of illegal trade, confiscation of illegally traded specimens, and mechanisms for inter-regional cooperation.
The UN estimates that the illegal trade in wildlife is now the worlds fourth most lucrative crime after trafficking in drugs, people, and arms.
We want to know how to harmonise the different laws of the participating countries so we could have uniform penalties and fines for those who are going to abuse our wildlife resources, Assistant State Prosecutor of the Department of Justice as well as Member of the Environmental Task Force of the Philippines Alejandro Daguiso said.
