IMO action against wildlife trafficking in international maritime supply chains

Opening Remarks by IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim

Council 127 – Side event: IMO action against wildlife trafficking in international maritime supply chains

Distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen,

It is my pleasure to welcome you today to a symposium on IMO action against wildlife trafficking in international maritime supply chains, jointly organized by IMO and the Government of Thailand.

Illicit wildlife trafficking in the maritime sector is a crime which harms our planet, reduces biodiversity and causes the spread of diseases between different species, including humans. I thank our co-sponsor, the Government of Thailand, for the initiative to organize this symposium during the ongoing 127th session of the Council.

With more than 80% of global trade moved by sea, the international shipping industry is unfortunately, at times, exploited by criminal networks engaged in illicit wildlife trade.

In this regard, Kenya, together with UNDP and interested NGOs, took the initiative to prepare a set of draft guidelines addressing the problem, for consideration by IMO’s Facilitation Committee, FAL. At FAL 46 in May of this year, Member States overwhelmingly supported the Kenyan initiative and adopted the Guidelines for the prevention and suppression of the smuggling of wildlife on ships engaged in international traffic.

At the same session, combating illicit activities was included in the amendments to the annex of the FAL Convention, as part of the objective of national maritime transport programmes.

Illicit wildlife trafficking is a transnational topic, transcending jurisdictions, so collaborative multilateral efforts of many stakeholders are necessary to successfully fight it.

Today, we are meeting here to raise awareness of the problem and to encourage collaboration and coordination at international, regional, national and port level, and between competent government agencies, maritime transport operators, shippers, seafarers and other stakeholders in the prevention and suppression of illicit wildlife trafficking.

I am grateful to our expert speakers and all other participants at today’s event and look forward to fruitful insights from today’s session.

Thank you.