Although the legal framework and penalties related to wildlife conservation and protection have been strengthened, crimes associated with trafficking and consumption still remain an issue due to the high consumer demand for wildlife products. To address this, USAID Wildlife Asia and the Scientific Council of the Central Committee for Propaganda and Education (CCPE) organized an event on November 27 for CCPE leaders and senior government communicators to discuss a communication strategy to reduce the demand for illegal wildlife products. USAID/Vietnam Deputy Mission Director Bradley Bessire attended the dialogue and gave remarks to 50 participants, including representatives from CCPE, ministries, and the National Assembly, as well as TV, newspaper, and online media journalists. During the event, USAID Wildlife Asia shared international best practices on wildlife protection and provided suggestions on selecting appropriate communication strategies to drive down wildlife demand and consumption.

So What? USAID’s cooperation with the Government of Vietnam to modify social behavior related to illegal wildlife consumption will support Vietnam’s efforts to lower the demand for wildlife products, contributing to reduced transnational environmental crime in alignment with the Indo-Pacific Vision.