The illegal wildlife trade (IWT) has developed into a diverse and lucrative form of transnational organized crime, placing serious pressure on fauna and flora worldwide. The hidden costs include lost ecosystem services (such as carbon storage and water filtration for example), the loss of potential revenue from the sustainable use of natural resources and depriving local communities of resources they rely on for their livelihoods. Wildlife crime erodes rule of law and undermines governance, especially in remote areas and border crossings, but also at key ports.
As a region of high biodiversity and substantial wildlife populations, the SADC region has become a major source of many wildlife products and Member States are at the forefront of global efforts to combat wildlife crime, protect vulnerable human populations and strengthen rule of law and governance.
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