This week, representatives from law enforcement, judicial institutions, environmental ministries, and the private sector have gathered in South Africa to address the growing threat of wildlife crime. The event, organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), INTERPOL, and the Royal Foundation’s United for Wildlife programme, aims to foster international collaboration and develop strategies to dismantle the criminal networks driving illegal wildlife trafficking.

One of the key events is the 8th meeting of the Wildlife Inter-Regional Enforcement (WIRE) Forum, organized by UNODC. The forum brings together practitioners from 34 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, focusing on operational activities to combat the illegal trade in wildlife and plants. The discussions are centered on enhancing international cooperation, strengthening enforcement efforts, and disrupting the criminal organizations behind wildlife trafficking.

The event underscores the need to go beyond simply seizing contraband or arresting low-level offenders. The focus is shifting towards targeting the larger, transnational syndicates responsible for organizing and facilitating these illegal activities. By sharing expertise and building partnerships, the forum aims to improve information-sharing and operational coordination between countries to better tackle the global nature of wildlife crime.

In addition to the WIRE Forum, the Royal Foundation’s United for Wildlife programme is hosting the Global Summit 2024 in Cape Town. The summit brings together leaders from the conservation, law enforcement, and government sectors, as well as taskforces from finance, law, transport, and e-commerce. The summit serves as a platform to create new strategies and build partnerships to combat wildlife crime on a global scale.

A critical part of the summit’s agenda is the 35th INTERPOL Wildlife Crime Working Group meeting, which is begining today. The meeting facilitates information sharing and collaboration among global law enforcement agencies and provides an opportunity to review the results of INTERPOL’s Global Wildlife Crime Threat Assessment. This assessment helps guide future international initiatives and enforcement strategies in the fight against wildlife trafficking.

The importance of global cooperation in tackling wildlife crime has been a central theme throughout the week’s discussions. The illegal trade in wildlife and poaching has become a significant threat to biodiversity, putting countless species at risk of extinction. Experts have emphasized the need for a unified approach, combining the efforts of law enforcement agencies, conservation groups, governments, and the private sector to combat this issue.

South Africa, with its rich biodiversity, has become a major target for wildlife criminal syndicates, making it an ideal location for these high-level meetings. The country has been actively working on strategies to break the illicit value chains associated with wildlife trafficking, both within its borders and across the continent. It has also been advocating for a global response to the issue, recognizing that wildlife crime is a complex, international problem that requires coordinated action.

The United for Wildlife programme, which focuses on addressing environmental and wildlife crime, has also emphasized the importance of collaboration. As the third largest criminal activity in the world, wildlife crime demands a concerted effort from all sectors, from law enforcement and government agencies to private companies and conservation organizations. The summit and meetings this week aim to strengthen these partnerships and develop concrete actions to protect endangered species and safeguard ecosystems worldwide.

As the event continues, the global community remains committed to tackling wildlife crime through enhanced cooperation, intelligence sharing, and coordinated enforcement efforts.