Director-General/Executive Director
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I welcome the launch of the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime Vision 2030, under the theme “together for a world free of wildlife crime”.
Wildlife crime is serious, it is dangerous, and it is transnational.
It involves organized criminal networks and can intersect with other illicit activities.
The victims are communities and ecosystems, and the consequences are severe for our environment and our shared future.
To deter, detect, and disrupt wildlife crime, we must work together, combining the mandates and expertise of different entities.
The International Consortium provides a vital platform for coordinated responses.
Together with our Consortium partners, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime produces the World Wildlife Crime Report, which highlights the impact of the illegal wildlife trade on biodiversity and human health, as well as on the economy, security and the rule of law.
Our Office also leads the Consortium’s work on key tools such as the Wildlife and Forest Crime Analytic Toolkit, and we have supported over 30 countries to assess national criminal justice and preventive responses to wildlife and forest crimes.
The new Vision 2030 will provide further momentum and structure to our partnership, by outlining a clear roadmap and targeting specific outcomes.
In the coming months, we will be expanding our work under the banner of the Consortium, to help countries address corruption, conduct financial investigations, and use specialized investigation techniques in wildlife crime cases, and to support stronger cooperation between agencies and across borders and regions.
UNODC is committed to the new Vision 2030. We look forward to working with our partners to support Member States as they take action to stop criminals from exploiting life on our planet.
Thank you.