Ministers from the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries released a statement last week outlining the region’s commitment to strengthen efforts to address illegal wildlife trade and tackle wildlife crime.
Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam – the member states of ASEAN – issued the joint statement which describes illegal trade of wildlife as “among the greatest challenges of ASEAN as the economic, social and environmental repercussions are severe and widespread in scale.”
The ASEAN statement also commits member states to improving international co-operation as part of their combined efforts to meet obligations under the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). One of the targets for SDG15, calls on countries to “Take urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products.”
