(March 22, 2019) 1. We, the Ministers responsible for CITES and Wildlife Enforcement, hereby convey our Statement on Illegal Wildlife Trade in the occasion of the Special ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Illegal Wildlife Trade on 21-22 March 2019 in Chiang Mai, Thailand, under the chairmanship of H.E. General Surasak Karnjanarat, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Kingdom of Thailand, representing the 2019 Chair Country of ASEAN. 2. We endorsed the Chiang Mai Statement of ASEAN Ministers Responsible...

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(March 19, 2019)   -   As of 1 January 2019, Dr. Santi Saypanya (Joy) formally succeeded· Dr. Christopher Holmes as Country Director of the WCS Lao PDR Program. 

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(January 28, 2019)   -   Laos has vowed to continue cooperation with international partners in addressing challenges in wildlife law enforcement, with the country still at risk of illegal trading.Deputy Director of the Department of Forest Inspection under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ms Louamkham Sengchanoudom, addressed the issue on Thursday at a consultation workshop on the Wildlife Legality Compendium Project.

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(January 11, 2019) More than 73 kilograms of ivory products were confiscated from a souvenir shop in Luang Prabang province recently and the foreign owner detained for suspected trading in elephant ivory.The Forest Inspection Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, in collaboration with the Lao Wildlife Enforcement Network (Lao-WEN) and local authorities raided the shop and confiscated more than 3,400 ivory items weighing 73.8 kilograms. The ivory products were hidden in secret drawers under the shop&rsq...

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(December 16, 2018)   -   On 15-16 October 2018 the Nam Et-Phou Louey National Protected Area (NEPL NPA) welcomed H.E Dr. Mme. Souvanpheng BOUPPHANOUVONG, the Minister to Prime Minister’s Office.

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(October 12, 2018) Over 50 countries have adopted the London 2018 declaration committing to action to protect endangered species around the globe, with more expected to sign today and in the coming days.On top of the high-level international agreement, a number of countries will also pledge individual commitments to stamp out the abhorrent trade. These will be added and published over the coming weeks and months to ensure momentum continues in this crucial area.Hosted by the UK government, the two-day ev...

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(September 19, 2018)   -   A Vietnamese businessman suspected of trafficking and trading in elephant ivory was recently arrested in Vientiane, police officers said.The raid was based on a verified tip-off and a report from a citizen about the suspected trafficking, said the Department of Combating Natural Resources and Environmental Crime (DCNEC) under the Ministry of Public Security.

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(May 31, 2018)   -   Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith has issued an order to tighten regulations against hunting and trade of protected wildlife. Individuals or groups that breach the order are to be arrested and prosecuted.The PM issued the Order for Increased Stringency in Management and Inspection of Protected Wild Fauna and Flora, No. 05/PM, on 08 May this year. 

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(December 16, 2017) The Mekong region is a perfect storm - a source, transit route and final destination for many of the world’s most valuable and threatened wildlife species. This multi-million dollar trade significantly threatens the survival of endangered species including tiger, Asian and African elephant, and all rhino species, as well as pangolins - the most trafficked animal in the world. Illegal wildlife trafficking represents the third-largest illicit trade in the world, with an estimated value of up...

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