Department of Forestry, as the CITES Management Authority of Lao PDR, Reviews the ICCWC Wildlife and Forest Crime Toolkit to Strengthen Implementation of the CITES Compliance Action Plan

Vang Vieng District, Vientiane Province, Lao PDR, 16–18 June 2026 — The Department of Forestry (DOF), Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE), acting as the CITES Management Authority of Lao PDR, participated in a national review seminar on the application of the ICCWC Wildlife and Forest Crime Toolkit and the ICCWC Indicator Framework. The seminar forms part of Lao PDR’s continuing efforts to strengthen the implementation of the CITES Compliance Action Plan (CAP) and enhance the national response to wildlife and forest crime.

The meeting brought together representatives from the Office of the People’s Prosecutor, the People’s Courts, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the Customs Department, the Bank of the Lao PDR, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and other relevant government agencies and development partners involved in combating wildlife crime.

As the CITES Management Authority of Lao PDR, the Department of Forestry presented the country’s progress in implementing the CITES Compliance Action Plan and highlighted the importance of the ICCWC Toolkit as an internationally recognized assessment framework for strengthening national capacities to prevent, investigate and prosecute wildlife crime.

The seminar reviewed the recommendations contained in the ICCWC Wildlife and Forest Crime Toolkit and assessed Lao PDR’s implementation against the ICCWC Indicator Framework. Participants examined existing institutional arrangements, identified implementation gaps and discussed practical follow-up actions to strengthen wildlife law enforcement, criminal investigations, prosecution and judicial responses to wildlife crime.

Particular attention was given to improving coordination among law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, the judiciary, customs authorities, financial investigation authorities and other competent institutions responsible for addressing wildlife and forest crime. Discussions also focused on strengthening intelligence-led enforcement, enhancing inter-agency cooperation and improving institutional effectiveness throughout the criminal justice chain.

The seminar forms an important component of Lao PDR’s implementation of the CITES Compliance Action Plan (CAP) and contributes to strengthening national capacity to address wildlife crime in accordance with the recommendations of the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC). The review also supports closer collaboration between national authorities and international partners in implementing international best practices for combating wildlife trafficking.

The Department of Forestry emphasized that, as the CITES Management Authority of Lao PDR, it will continue to work closely with national enforcement agencies, judicial institutions and international organizations to strengthen implementation of the CITES Compliance Action Plan, enhance inter-agency coordination and improve the effectiveness of wildlife crime investigations and prosecutions.

The outcomes of the seminar will support the development of follow-up actions to address identified gaps, strengthen institutional capacity and reinforce Lao PDR’s commitment to implementing CITES, combating transnational wildlife crime and protecting the country’s biodiversity through stronger law enforcement and criminal justice cooperation.