First USAID biodiversity policy prioritizes Vietnam

15/09/2015

     The US Agency for International Development (USAID) recently announced its first ever biodiversity policy in Washington including a vision on global biodiversity conservation for sustainable long-term development.      Within the framework of the new policy, the USAID considers Vietnam as a priority country for its biodiversity support programs.      “While the USAID strives to conserve globally significant biodiversity under this new direction, we recognize the essential role that healthy ecosystems play in advancing resilient societies. We are also committed to a more specific focus on integrating biodiversity conservation with our other development work in Vietnam such as economic growth and health,” said USAID Vietnam Mission Director Joakim Parker.      The new policy recognizes that conservation is central to the USAID’s mission as an international development agency because healthy ecosystems provide goods and services that sustain life and improve human well-being. The US Mission to Vietnam is working closely with governmental and civil society partners to preserve biodiversity and stop illegal wildlife trade including through the USAID’s Regional Response to Endangered Species Trafficking (ARREST) program which works to reduce consumer demand for wildlife products and strengthen law enforcement, regional cooperation, and anti-trafficking networks.      The USAID expects to increase its wildlife trafficking assistance to Vietnam under the new policy.   Trung Thảo