CAPE TOWN, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- South African Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Dion George on Monday called for "decisive and meaningful action" to tackle wildlife crimes.
He made the remark when delivering the opening address at the Eighth Wildlife Inter-Regional Enforcement meeting, organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, in Cape Town on Monday, where representatives from various countries gathered to strengthen global efforts against wildlife crimes.
George emphasized that these environmental crimes "threaten to ravage the world's natural resources, impose immense financial burdens, and lead to the widespread loss of economic and development opportunities."
"Recognizing the scale of this behavior is crucial to decisive and meaningful action," he said. "We must confront the stark reality that these crimes are not isolated to a series of arbitrary incidents, and that they have developed into highly sophisticated, greed-driven enterprises orchestrated by international criminal syndicates."
The minister stressed that this global scourge can only be overcome through a focused and integrated international effort.
"Collaborating with international counterparts is crucial for tackling wildlife crime, especially since the illicit market is primarily in Southeast Asia. It is essential that we reinforce our working relationship with law enforcement agencies in these countries," said George.
"We are emboldened by the knowledge that we can count on the support of other governments and law enforcement officials, as well as large international organizations, the private sector, communities, civil society, and businesses," he added.
