UNCTAD to assist Customs regulate wildlife trade

The Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) have agreed to work together in providing Customs authorities with better tools to regulate the import and export of CITES-listed species. Among these will be a module for international trade in CITES-listed species, called ACITES, which will be fully integrated into UNCTAD's Automated SYstem for CUstoms DAta (ASYCUDA).

ASYCUDA is a computerised customs management system currently used by over 90 countries which covers most foreign trade procedures.

The ACITES ASYCUDA module will link computerised Customs systems and will be based on the CITES Appendices, which contain over 35,000 listed species of wild animals and plants.

UNCTAD Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi said, "Cooperation between CITES Secretariat and UNCTAD will ensure that international trade does not harm the conservation of CITES-listed species, enhance the livelihood of the poor and promote opportunities for entrepreneurs that comply with CITES needs and national legislation."

The harmonisation of CITES electronic permit standards (e-permitting) with ASYCUDA will also help CITES parties to trace traded species throughout their business chain. This will ensure the sustainable use of species that are legally traded, and improve the livelihood of the poor.

"The provision of enhanced tools for Customs authorities enables better control of international trade in CITES-listed species;" CITES Secretary-General John E. Scanlon said during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the CITES Secretariat and UNCTAD.

"The use of the tools will contribute to ensure the sustainable use of species legally in trade and to prevent illegal trade by reducing the opportunities for fraud.

CITES parties developing e-permitting systems will access technologies that provide new solutions by using cutting-edge efficient information and communication technologies."