The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development held a ceremony in Ha Noi on Monday to launch a project on saving threatened wildlife.

The launching ceremony was witnessed by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman.

The $15 million project, which will be carried out in five years, aims to enhance Viet Nam’s leadership in fighting wildlife crime through fostering the commitment of national and local leaders, improving law enforcement efficiency, and reducing consumption demand for illegal wildlife products.

The new project will focus on protecting species that are at risk of international trafficking into Viet Nam such as African rhinos, African and Asian elephants, and pangolins, as well as animals that are regularly poached and traded domestically or internationally, such as primates, muntjacs, and big cats.

It will be implemented by the World Wide Fund for Nature in cooperation with the Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network (TRAFFIC) and the Education for Nature Viet Nam (ENV).

It builds and expands on the progress achieved by the USAID-funded project on combating illegal trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora during the 2016-2021 period.

The project supported the Vietnamese Government to improve and harmonise the legal system related to wildlife protection, strengthen law enforcement and prosecution of wildlife crimes, and reduce demand and illegal consumption of wildlife.

Also at the launching ceremony, USAID and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development inked the first bilateral partnership agreement, called a Limited Scope Grant Agreement, on promoting bilateral cooperation in response to climate change in the Mekong Delta during the 2022 - 2027 period.

Reporting by B.T - Translating by M.DUNG