Roundup: Experts urge joint efforts to fight illegal wildlife trade

In northern Botswana's town of Kasane, fighting against illegal wildlife trade has been hitting headlines during the last three days as the second African Elephant meeting and the Kasane Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade were held here with delegates from more than 30 countries vowing actions against such practice.

The meetings were held respectively Monday and Wednesday in the town of wide biodiversity, the position and point of view held by delegates on wildlife protection also diversified based on the status quo in their own countries.

African countries, as the source of wildlife and the first stop of illegal wildlife trade chain should take the responsibility to stem poaching.

At Wednesday's conference, Botswana's President Seretse Khama Ian Khama said well resourced and organized crime groups and militias are taking advantage of weakness in legislation, institutional inadequacies and civil unrest in range and consumer countries to supply wildlife products.

Michael Wamithi, delegate at the African Elephant Meeting from Kenya said as many African countries are still struggling with their economic and social development, lack of finance is a headache for them in combating illegal wildlife trade.

According to Wamithi, other issues as cited by Botswana's president, weak law framework, bad governance, corruption and terrorism, arms and drugs trafficking funded by poaching make it more difficult to nip poaching in the bud.

To strengthen law enforcement along transport lines is also crucial to crack down on illegal wildlife trade as noted by UK Environment Minister Lord de Mauley at the Kasane Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade.

The minister said this year's meeting moved specifically to the transport area including airlines and shipping lines, to engage transport agencies to curb illegal wildlife trade.

As for destination countries, to eradicate the demand market and to sensitize citizens on the importance of wildlife protection should top the agenda.

Vietnam delegate said the country's government has announced a package of actions to educate the pubic and to engage various civil and enterprise associations in the work.

As to China, Chinese delegate Meng Xianlin, Executive Director General of The Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Import& Export Management Office said official statistics showed during the period 2013 to 2014, illegal wildlife trade cases and weight seized have declined by 70 to 80 percent respectively in China thanks to continuous efforts made in strengthening law framework, enhancing law enforcement capacity and sensitizing people on the importance to protect wildlife.

"To protect endangered species is not a one country issue, the responsibility is around the world, each country even person should take the responsibility, to take action by yourself, also we need cooperation and coordination among countries, governments and NGOs," said Meng. Endi