The French Embassy and the DCIS organize a two-day international seminar on the fight against poaching and wildlife trafficking

KATHMANDU, May 31: The French Embassy and the French Directorate for International Security Cooperation (DCIS) organized a two-day international seminar on combating poaching and wildlife trafficking in Kathmandu.

The two-day seminar which began on Wednesday was attended by participants from the Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, Nepal Ministry of Forests and Environment, Attorney General's Office, as well as representatives from Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United States, French Central Office for the Coordination of Environmental Crime and Public Health (OCLAESP), customs French and UNODC.

In her opening speech, Leela Devaradjalou, Chargé d'affaires a.i., thanked the Government of Nepal for facilitating the organization of the seminar and highlighted the importance of the cause, saying: “The level of participation of 13 countries clearly illustrates the need for such a seminar. ” and that “the consequences of attacks on wildlife are immense and may be irreversible.”

Brigadier General Sanjay Deuja of the Directorate of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation of the Nepal Army highlighted the efforts of the Nepal Army in combating poaching in the national parks. “The Nepal Army remains steadfast in its commitment to preserving the rich biodiversity and natural heritage of our country. Our dedicated staff work tirelessly to protect endangered species from the scourge of poaching and illegal wildlife trafficking,” he said.

Fabrice Cotelle, Nepal Police Attaché, concluded the seminar by emphasizing the need to consolidate the links established over the last two days to better fight against environmental criminals.

The seminar, financially supported by the Directorate for Security and Defense Cooperation (DCSD) of the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, allowed participants to share their experiences, their good practices in this area and to discuss collaborative strategies to effectively combat poaching and wildlife trafficking.

This seminar was organized within the framework of the Nepal-France Green Road Map, a framework for cooperation between the two countries on environmental issues, adopted in 2023.