Viet Nam and Cambodia are discussing
closer co-operation to combat illegal, trans-border trading in wildlife at a
two-day workshop that is being attended by their respective enforcement
authorities.

Closer co-operation between Viet Nam and Cambodia authorities is required to combat illegal, trans-border trading in wildlife. Authorities seized eight bears that were illegally trafficked from Kon Tum Province to Pleiku City of Gia Lai Province last September. (Photo: VNS)

The workshop that
began yesterday, April 27, in the southern border province of Tay Ninh also offers a
platform to share experiences, consolidate understanding, and develop plans for
improved collaboration and information exchange to curbing the wildlife trade
along the Tay Ninh border.

“Illegal wildlife
trade is increasingly becoming a regional challenge, requiring countries to work
more closely together,” Ha Cong Tuan, deputy director of the Viet Nam
Administration of Forestry, said.

“This is an
opportunity for Viet Nam to collaborate with Cambodia for bilateral solutions
that fulfill national and international commitments on wildlife trade.”

Recent improvements
to the road network have connected Phnom Penh and HCM City, posing a great
challenge to authorities along the border.

While both countries
have made efforts to combat the illegal trade on their side of the border,
co-ordination between them has been limited.

“This workshop
supports a number of mechanisms for regional co-operation that are already in
place and strengthens the existing processes to detect and prosecute
violations,” Sulma Warne of TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network,
said.

It is being hosted by
the Viet Nam Administration of Forestry with technical support from TRAFFIC and
the Wildlife Conservation Society.

It is part of the
“Tiger Futures: Mainstreaming Conservation in Large Landscapes” project funded
by the World Bank’s Global Environment Facility programme.

A similar workshop
for enforcement officials from Viet Nam and Laos is planned for the end of May.

VietNamNet/Viet
Nam News