March 7, 2013 (Bangkok, Thailand) - The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Secretary-General Certificates of Commendation were presented to representatives from the National Inter-Agency CITES Enforcement Collaboration Group (NICECG) of China, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN) and the Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF) for their role in Operation COBRA, a month long cross-continent joint operation to combat illegal wildlife trade. NICECG, ASEAN-WEN and LATF received the award during the first global meeting of wildlife enforcement networks (WENs) on the sidelines of the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP 16). Ten WENs or groups operating within Africa, Asia, Europe, and North and South America, as well as proposed networks for Central Asia, West Asia and the Oceania/Pacific region, met to discuss cooperation on poaching and illicit trade activities. They also exchanged best practices and techniques on combating wildlife and forest crime. Participants expressed support for developing a network of wildlife enforcement networks or groups and recognized the value of the meeting, hosted by the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC).

Hmawbi, Yangon, Myanmar, 15 February 2013 - Law enforcement officers from across Myanmar participated in a series of workshops on wildlife trade and species identification last month, getting hands on training that will strengthen the resource-rich country’s ability to battle wildlife traffickers.

The workshops were organized and delivered by frontline officers who received prior training under a project funded by The Ministry of Environment-Japan, the secretariat of the East and Southeast Asia Biodiversity Information Initiative (ESABII).

The course aimed to provide taxonomic and legal information necessary to allow officers to identify species they find in trade; essential skills in the enforcement of wildlife trade legislation and protection of endangered species.

VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam and Indonesia have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the protection of wild animals, including reptile, tortoise and pangolin.

Group Photo, Vietnam - Indonesia Bilateral

Present at the signing ceremony in HCM City on December 27 were representatives of the Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation of Indonesia.

MARD Deputy Minister Ha Cong Tuan said the two countries will promote information exchange and work closely together to control the smuggling and trading of wild animals across the border. Both agreed to increase law enforcement.

On December 25, 2012 - the Lao PDR Wildlife Enforcement Network (Lao-WEN), which was launched in May of 2011 as a national effort to stop poaching, trafficking and illegal trade of protected flora and fauna as part of a broader regional effort under the ASEAN-WEN, held its national workshop at the International Conference and Training Center (ICTC) in Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR. The national workshop aimed at reviewing wildlife law enforcement of Lao-WEN, and discussing and exchanging successful and weak points at wildlife law enforcement during the year 2012-2012

The workshop reported on Lao-WEN's achievements from 2010-2012 where: (a) a total of 1,281 heads (covering 39 species) of aquatic and terrestrial wildlife, 1,088.88 kg of wildlife products, and 287.75 metric tons of non-timber forest products were confiscated; (b) 86 cases (59 relating to aquatic and wildlife crimes, and 27 to non-timber forest products crime) were investigated from 2010-2011; and (c) 27 cases (16 cases relating to aquatic and wildlife crimes, and 12 to non-timber forest products crimes) were investigated from 2011-2012.