8 March 2013
Global Meeting of Wildlife Enforcement Networks Discusses Cooperation on Poaching and Illicit Trade
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The first global meeting of wildlife enforcement networks (WENs) met on the sidelines of the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP 16) to strengthen regional enforcement capacity, coordination and response to wildlife crime.

7 March 2013: The first global meeting of wildlife enforcement networks (WENs) met on the sidelines of the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP 16) to strengthen regional enforcement capacity, coordination and response to wildlife crime.

Ten WENs or groups operating within Africa, Asia, Europe, and North and South America, as well as proposed networks for Central Asia, West Asia and the Oceania/Pacific region, met to discuss cooperation on poaching and illicit trade activities. They also exchanged best practices and techniques on combating wildlife and forest crime. Participants expressed support for developing a network of wildlife enforcement networks or groups and recognized the value of the meeting, hosted by the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC).

CITES Secretary-General Certificates of Commendation were presented to representatives from the National Inter-Agency CITES Enforcement Collaboration Group (NICECG) of China, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN) and the Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF) for their role in Operation COBRA, a month long cross-continent joint operation to combat illegal wildlife trade.[CITES News] [IISD Coverage of Operation Cobra]


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