Minister Chaudhary bats for strong regional coalition against criminal networks exploiting wildlife

Lalitpur, Sept 11: Minister for Agriculture, Forests and Environment Gita Chaudhary has said that strong regional cooperation is necessary to combat criminal networks exploiting wildlife.

At the closing programme of the first general assembly of the South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) held today in Lalitpur under the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Environment, she pointed out the need for strong cooperation, as SAWEN’s responsibility will show results.

“Continuing the momentum of collaboration built in Kathmandu, we need to achieve solid progress in regional wildlife crime control through practical measures in the coming days. The spirit of cooperation, friendship, solidarity, and collective commitment developed in Kathmandu will continue to guide collective efforts to combat wildlife crime in South Asia,” she asserted.

Minister Chaudhary said that the Kathmandu Declaration has expressed a shared political commitment to control illegal wildlife trade and strengthen regional cooperation.

Appreciating the active participation, constructive discussions, openness, flexibility, and cooperation shown by member nations in the General Assembly, she mentioned that the first session provided a strong institutional foundation and a clear direction for SAWEN’s upcoming journey.

Minister Chaudhary stated that the assembly has made decisions on important institutional, programmatic, and financial matters, and has approved the implementation framework that will guide SAWAN’s activities in the coming years.

“The declaration reflects a shared political commitment to strengthen regional cooperation against illegal wildlife trade and to establish an effective regional mechanism for controlling wildlife crime,” she said.

Minister Chaudhary said that implementation is more important than decisions, and it is not just the decisions made in Kathmandu, but how those decisions are put into practice that will determine their impact.

Bangladesh’s Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Abdul Awal Mintoo, said that this general assembly made it clear that wildlife crime is no longer a problem that a single country can solve on its own.

He said that our implementation efforts against trafficking, which has become increasingly organized, cross-border, and technology-based, also need to go beyond our own borders, and emphasized through SAWN that exchanging information, coordination, implementation, and strengthening institutional capacity are essential to effectively control the illegal wildlife trade.

The first general assembly of the South Asian Wildlife Law Enforcement Network (SAWEN) saw the participation of government representatives from eight South Asian countries.