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CITES secretariat welcomes UN resolution on tackling illicit wildlife trafficking

Xinhua, July 31, 2015 Adjust font size:

The secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) on Thursday welcomed the resolution on Tackling Illicit Trafficking in Wildlife adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) earlier the day.

Concerned over the serious nature and the increasing scale of poaching and illegal trade in wildlife and its adverse economic, social and environmental impacts, the UNGA resolution calls for firm and strengthened national measures, and an enhanced regional and global response.

"The adoption of this UNGA Resolution reflects the heightened level of political concern over the devastating impacts of poaching and illegal trade in wildlife," John E. Scanlon, the Secretary-General of CITES, said, adding that it is particularly important in strengthening the political resolve to combat these serious crimes.

According to CITES, the new UN resolution is aimed at both supply and demand, including by strengthening the legislation necessary for the prevention, investigation and prosecution of offences, treating certain wildlife offences as a serious crimes, providing for illegal trade in wildlife offences to be treated as predicate offences, supporting the exchange of evidence between States and taking steps to prohibit, prevent and counter corruption.

The resolution also urges states to reduce demand for illegal wildlife products using targeted strategies to influence consumer behavior, emphasizes that the protection of wildlife must be part of a comprehensive approach to achieving sustainable development and sustainable livelihoods and encourages states to address sustainable and alternative livelihoods for affected communities to enable them to benefit from wildlife and wilderness.

The adoption of the UNGA resolution follows on from a number of key events and measures taken to combat illegal trade in wildlife at the national, regional and global levels. Endit