This Thursday, March 3, World Wildlife Day is celebrated, with the aim of raising awareness about the value of wild fauna and flora. This year under the motto «recovering species for ecosystem restoration» The aim is to raise awareness about endangered and critically endangered species and to highlight the importance of conservation efforts to recover populations.
How are customs involved?
For the World Customs Organization (WCO), this day is an opportunity to reiterate its commitment to protecting wildlife and its continued support for its partner organization, the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the organization said in a statement.
In the words of WCO Secretary General, Dr. Kunio Mikuriya“It is the duty of Customs to maintain surveillance in the supply chain and enforce commercial legality, and this, in turn, contributes to the sustainability of natural resources.”
“The customs community is committed to stepping up the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and continuing its efforts to disrupt illegal trade in wildlife and forest products, thereby contributing to the recovery and preservation of key species and the restoration of our ecosystems,” he added.
Wildlife smuggling is on such a scale that it now poses a real threat to the survival of some of nature's most iconic species. According to the United Nations, more than 8.400 species of wild fauna and flora are critically endangered, while nearly 30.000 more are considered vulnerable or endangered.
In the face of these global challenges, the WCO establishes partnerships and strengthens inter-agency collaboration with a variety of actors along the supply chain, in detail: CITES, INTERPOL, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Bank, acting together as the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC).
It also supports its members in the fight against illegal wildlife trade through the INAMA project. This project contributes to a stronger and more coordinated law enforcement response. For this reason, the WCO provides comprehensive training and support to strengthen the CITES compliance capacities of customs administrations. beneficiaries in Africa, Asia and South America, while enhancing international and inter-agency cooperation at the global level.
According to information released by the United Nations Environment Programme, World Wildlife Day 2022 highlights the urgent need to reverse the fate of the most critically endangered species, support the restoration of their habitats and ecosystems and promote their sustainable use by humanity. The WCO therefore urges Customs to continue to play their role in achieving this goal and to step up their conservation efforts for the survival of species and the sustainability of the ecosystems on which they depend. (WCO Press Release)
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