USAID Deputy Mission Director Debra Mosel. Photo Courtesy of USAID

HÀ NỘI – The US Mission to Việt Nam and the Việt Nam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA) on September 16 launched two new projects to counter wildlife trafficking and reduce illegal wildlife consumption.

Funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the projects worth more than US$2 million in total, will be implemented by Save Vietnam’s Wildlife (SVW) and the Centre for Nature Conservation and Development (CCD). They represent the USAID’s first countering wildlife trafficking projects directly awarded to local organisations in Việt Nam.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, USAID Deputy Mission Director Debra Mosel said: “The United States is a committed partner of Việt Nam’s in countering wildlife trafficking and conserving biodiversity, in line with our two countries’ shared priorities under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Today, we advance our cooperation on this shared priority by launching these two new projects.”

Mosel said that the USAID prioritises locally-led development, because local leadership and ownership are essential for fostering sustainable results. In Vietnam, local organisations play an increasingly important role in environmental protection, specifically in nature and biodiversity conservation, and in the prevention of illegal wildlife trafficking, she said.

Việt Nam is ranked 14th in the world for biodiversity richness and the country is home to many rare and precious species. Unfortunately, many of them are on the brink of extinction due to the illegal wildlife trade, mainly to meet the demand for food, traditional medicine and ornamental products.

The two USAID-funded project - Sustainable Wildlife Conservation project, implemented by SVW, and the Conserving Threatened Species project, implemented by CCD, will support Cat Tien National Park, Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserve in Dong Nai province, and Huong Son Special Use Forest in Hanoi to protect their biodiversity through enhancing capacities of their staff and applying Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) technology in forest patrolling and camera traps for wildlife surveillance.

The projects will also help reduce demand for illegal wildlife products by raising awareness among the public, empowering local communities and their leaders to help ensure the protection of these areas.

Since 2016, the US Government has provided US$27.8 million to Việt Nam in support of efforts to counter wildlife trafficking, including strengthening law enforcement, reducing demand, and building international cooperation. VNS