A delegation from Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Vietnam is on a working visit to South Africa from Sept. 26-Oct. 1 at the invitation of the biodiversity and natural conservation agency under the Ministry of Environmental Affairs.

The Vietnamese delegation had a working session with its host on the draft memorandum of understanding on biodiversity conservation and protection of rare wild animals, including the fight against illegal hunting, trading and trafficking of rhinos.

Head of the Vietnamese delegation Ha Cong Tuan, Deputy Director of the General Department of Forestry of Vietnam, affirmed that as a member of CITES, Vietnam always fully implements the content of the convention and is ready to cooperate with other members, including South Africa.

Vietnam always attaches importance to protecting the ecological environment and seriously tackle all violations of laws on natural conservation, including the trade of endangered wild animals, Tuan said.

He also said that Vietnam is carrying out research on rhino horn to provide scientific evidence to raise people’s awareness on the need to protect rhinos.

Fundisile Mketeni, Deputy Director of the South African biodiversity and natural conservation agency, praised Vietnam’s participation and implementation of CITES and said that the two countries had agreed to boost cooperation in biodiversity conservation and protection of rare wild animals, so relevant agencies of the two sides need to cooperate more closely./.