A participant at a training course organised by the USAID Saving Species project (Photo courtesy of the project) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Prosecution rates for wildlife violations haveincreased 50 percent over the last three years thanks to a project whichfocuses on protecting wildlife in Vietnam.
That was one of the key results of the USAID Saving Species project announcedin Hanoi last week, at a virtual event that marked the end of its five-yearimplementation.
The US-supported project began in 2016 with coordination between the UnitedStates Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Ministry ofAgriculture and Rural Development.
It helped the Vietnamese Government to improve and harmonise the legal systemrelated to wildlife protection, strengthen law enforcement and prosecution ofwildlife crimes, and reduce demand and illegal consumption of wildlife.
Reports showed that thanks to the project, prosecution rates for wildlifeviolations have increased from 25 percent in 2018 to 75 percent in 2021.
Three social behaviour change communication campaigns run by the project andthe CITES Management Authority of Vietnam have raised public awareness aboutwildlife protection, with a focus on reducing consumption of ivory, rhino hornand pangolin products.
Among high income earners, the percentage of buyers of ivory decreased from 16 percentin 2018 to nine percent in 2021, and the percentage of buyers of rhino and pangolinproducts decreased from eight percent in 2018 to six percent in 2021.
The project also supported the development, amendment and adoption of fourimportant legal documents that are key to ensuring consistent management andprotection of wildlife in Vietnam, resolving legal gaps and overlappingregulations.
It trained more than 2,600 officials from agencies including forestryprotection departments, customs officials, environmental police, wet marketmanagers, border guards, courts, and prosecutors to help them more effectivelytackle wildlife crimes.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development LeQuoc Doanh said: “The joint effort of USAID and the Vietnamese governmentthrough USAID Saving Species project has contributed significantly to protectwildlife species and maintaining important eco-services to the national andregional sustainable socio-economic development.”
USAID/Vietnam Mission Director Ann Marie Yastishock added: “USAID is proud tosupport Vietnam to reduce consumer demand for illegal wildlife products, buildwildlife law enforcement and prosecution capacity, as well as augment andharmonise the legal framework for combating wildlife crime in Vietnam.
"We are very pleased to see that the cooperation between the two countriesthrough this project has brought meaningful results. Vietnam is a criticalpartner of the United States for countering wildlife trafficking.”
Through subsequent projects, USAID will continue to support effectiveprotection of wildlife and the strengthened cooperation of the two countries inwildlife crime prevention and control./.
That was one of the key results of the USAID Saving Species project announcedin Hanoi last week, at a virtual event that marked the end of its five-yearimplementation.
The US-supported project began in 2016 with coordination between the UnitedStates Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Ministry ofAgriculture and Rural Development.
It helped the Vietnamese Government to improve and harmonise the legal systemrelated to wildlife protection, strengthen law enforcement and prosecution ofwildlife crimes, and reduce demand and illegal consumption of wildlife.
Reports showed that thanks to the project, prosecution rates for wildlifeviolations have increased from 25 percent in 2018 to 75 percent in 2021.
Three social behaviour change communication campaigns run by the project andthe CITES Management Authority of Vietnam have raised public awareness aboutwildlife protection, with a focus on reducing consumption of ivory, rhino hornand pangolin products.
Among high income earners, the percentage of buyers of ivory decreased from 16 percentin 2018 to nine percent in 2021, and the percentage of buyers of rhino and pangolinproducts decreased from eight percent in 2018 to six percent in 2021.
The project also supported the development, amendment and adoption of fourimportant legal documents that are key to ensuring consistent management andprotection of wildlife in Vietnam, resolving legal gaps and overlappingregulations.
It trained more than 2,600 officials from agencies including forestryprotection departments, customs officials, environmental police, wet marketmanagers, border guards, courts, and prosecutors to help them more effectivelytackle wildlife crimes.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development LeQuoc Doanh said: “The joint effort of USAID and the Vietnamese governmentthrough USAID Saving Species project has contributed significantly to protectwildlife species and maintaining important eco-services to the national andregional sustainable socio-economic development.”
USAID/Vietnam Mission Director Ann Marie Yastishock added: “USAID is proud tosupport Vietnam to reduce consumer demand for illegal wildlife products, buildwildlife law enforcement and prosecution capacity, as well as augment andharmonise the legal framework for combating wildlife crime in Vietnam.
"We are very pleased to see that the cooperation between the two countriesthrough this project has brought meaningful results. Vietnam is a criticalpartner of the United States for countering wildlife trafficking.”
Through subsequent projects, USAID will continue to support effectiveprotection of wildlife and the strengthened cooperation of the two countries inwildlife crime prevention and control./.
VNA
