Beijing: The Fourth Steering Committee annual meeting of the Asian Conservation Alliance Task Force (ACATF) was held in Beijing, China on 14 th and 15 th April 2005.

Ashok Kumar, Senior Advisor and Trustee of Wildlife Trust of India, who attended the two day conference said, “The meeting was held under the Chairmanship of Masayuki Sakamato of Japan Wildlife Conservation Society, to seek greater understanding and cooperation in the Asian region on the subject of illegal wildlife trade and its products.”

Asian Conservation Alliance is an association of Asian NGOs promoted by Japan Wildlife Conservation Society. This alliance seeks to cooperate with Asian countries in decision making processes that aid wildlife conservation and wild animal welfare by combating wildlife crime in wildlife, enhance enforcement of CITES regulations and improve animal welfare standards in Asia.

NGOs from Japan, India, China and Thailand participated in the conference. Steering committee members of ACATF include Friends of the Asian Elephant ( Thailand), Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan ( Taiwan), Wildlife Trust of India ( India), World Society for Protection of Animals ( Asia representatives) and International Fund for Animal Welfare ( China).

The conference has recommended several important decisions to be incorporated in the action plan for the Asian region. These recommendations included representation of each sub-region in Asia – eastern, south eastern, south central and Western Asia. Each region will be monitored by the ASC member of the host country and the coordinating office.

An important decision was of establishing three projects concerning specific areas or species related to Asian region that have not been covered by international organizations as in the period till CITES CoP 14, 2007 to be held in Netherlands, such as, Wildlife Enforcement Monitoring System (WEMS) and Investigation on International Trade in Asian elephant in Thailand.

Policy makers of Asian countries are to be influenced for a proactive role in combating wildlife crime and its derivatives and influencing the CITES committees, media and developed nations outside Asian region (EU countries, US etc) and collaborate appropriate action for regulating down wildlife crime.

A Wildlife Enforcement Monitoring System (WEMS) would be established that would not only help the Asian countries in tackling wildlife crime but also in enhancing their existing illegal wildlife trade databank to counter future exigencies.

The conference augurs well in view of the flourishing illegal wildlife trade in Asia and to find an alternative to counter wildlife crime, in view of the rapidly changing global trade scenario. The conference was also to carry forward the CoP 13 agenda, reflected in the Bangkok declaration in 2004.

Changing global environment due to rapid economic growth and global free trade has brought in new challenges with regard to wildlife conservation today. CITES, which regulates international trade has been directly affected by this trend. In fact, a utilization-oriented policy has been promoted in CITES since the last decade.

In view of the present dangers to wildlife and its habitats, wildlife conservationists and animal lovers worldwide are beginning to realize the importance of a regional approach, together with the expertise of CITES in building a regional framework to counter wildlife crime.

The Beijing conference reiterates this stand and seeks to focus and coordinate efforts towards addressing the CoP 13 agenda through an active Asian NGO network.

Pix: Remi Chandran / ACA