On March 29, 2023 in Quang Ninh province, following the success of the briefing event on “Preventing risks of illegal wildlife trade by sea route from Africa to Viet Nam” organized by Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) - Viet Nam Program, in collaboration with Viet Nam Maritime University (VMU) and Ho Chi Minh city University of Law in September 2022, WCS Viet Nam and VMU co-hosted a workshop on “Promoting public-private partnership to suppress wildlife smuggling on international maritime shipment”.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Captain Nguyen Manh Cuong – Dean of the Maritime Department - VMU, and Mr. Pham Thanh Trung - Program Manager of WCS Viet Nam co-chaired the workshop with the participation of more than 50 representatives of the state management authorities (Department of Transport and Viet Nam Maritime Administration - Ministry of Transport; Hai Phong City Maritime Administration; Vung Tau Maritime Administration; Quang Ninh Maritime Administration; Ho Chi Minh City Maritime Administration; the Management Board of Bai Tu Long National Park); law enforcement agencies (National Environmental Police Department - Ministry of Public Security; Da Nang Customs Department; Hai Phong Customs Department); private sector (Viet Nam Ocean Shipping Joint Stock Company (VOSCO); Hai Phong Port Joint Stock Company), and training/research institutions (Centre for the Sea and International Marine Law, University of Law – Viet Nam National University; Maritime Academy - Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport; Viet Nam Customs School, together with lecturers, officials from relevant departments of VMU.
In the opening remarks, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Manh Cuong - Dean of the Maritime Department - VMU emphasized: “...in the situation that has showed signs of increasing illegal trade and transportation of wildlife from other countries to Viet Nam by sea route, one of the most sustainable solutions is to enhance awareness of students, particularly VMU’s students who would closely engage with the maritime industry after graduation.” As a result, VMU and WCS Viet Nam developed a collaborative plan aimed at enhancing the awareness and skills of involved stakeholders in countering illegal wildlife trade and transportation by sea route, and this workshop was conducted as a kick-off event for that plan.
Mr. Pham Thanh Trung, Program Manager of WCS Viet Nam added: “...through this collaborative plan, our ultimate expectation is to increase the interests of stakeholders working in the maritime transportation industry and their collective actions to prevent and combat wildlife crimes and other wildlife-related violations. At the same time, we hope to contribute to enhancing the public and private partnership to address effectively the issue of illegal wildlife trade and transportation by sea route.”
Mr. Pham Thanh Trung - Program Manager of WCS Viet Nam in the opening remarks, Quang Ninh, March 29. 2023
At the workshop, all participants were updated with information on the illegal wildlife trade chain by sea route from other countries to Viet Nam, and red flags in wildlife trafficking by sea route; introduced about the roles and challenges of law enforcement agencies in combating with syndicates exploiting vulnerabilities in the maritime industry for illegal wildlife transportation. They also shared the roles of the private sector including port and shipping companies in the maritime industry, and their responsibilities in preventing, detecting and reporting the illegal wildlife transportation by sea route. Based on the Guidelines for the prevention and suppression of the smuggling of wildlife on ships engaged in international maritime traffic, adopted by International Maritime Organization (IMO), all participants discussed and shared opportunities and solutions for promoting collaboration between public and private sectors in preventing and combating illegal wildlife trade and transportation by sea route, in relevance to Viet Nam’s context.
Information sharing from Maritime management authority, Quang Ninh, March 29, 2023
In this workshop, representatives of the Maritime Department - VMU also presented and consulted their plan of integrating the issue of illegal wildlife trade and transportation by sea route into the training programs of the Maritime Department - VMU.
Presentation about the plan of integrating the issue of illegal wildlife trade and transportation by sea route into the training programs, Quang Ninh, March 29, 2023
The activity was conducted within the framework of the project “Combating Wildlife Trafficking in Viet Nam” funded by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), United States Department of State, and implemented by WCS Viet Nam.