Viet Nam is a country that is rich in biodiversity and natural resources, but it is also considered to be a global hub for illegal wildlife trade, acting as a destination, transit, and source country. As Viet Nam has developed and grown its economy over time, there has been a noticeable rise in the trafficking of high-value wildlife products. This surge in illegal activity is driven by international crime syndicates who perceive wildlife trafficking as a lucrative venture with relatively low risks. Poaching and smuggling for the illegal wildlife trade is increasingly linked with armed violence, corruption, and other forms of organized crime. Although authorities have made large confiscations, and Viet Nam’s updated penal code now punishes wildlife trafficking severely, the illegal wildlife trade continues unabated.
In response to this threat, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Viet Nam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development are working together to control and stop wildlife trafficking by enhancing commitments from Viet Nam's government leaders at the national and provincial levels, strengthening law enforcement, and reducing demand and consumption of illegal wildlife products. USAID launched the $15 million Saving Threatened Wildlife project in 2021 with the aim of strengthening Viet Nam’s leadership in tackling wildlife trafficking. Saving Threatened Wildlife is a 5-year project supported by USAID, in cooperation with the Management Board for Forestry Projects, and implemented by WWF and conservation organization partners, TRAFFIC and Education for Nature-Vietnam
Over the last decade, Viet Nam has made concerted efforts and issued new legislation and policies to counter wildlife trafficking. The 2015 penal code (revised in 2017) covers offenses involving harm to wild animals and specifies appropriate punishments for criminal violations involving endangered and rare animals. In response to the human health and wildlife-related disease risk challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Viet Nam issued a Directive in 2020, with urgent measures to manage wildlife trade and requested relevant agencies to strictly monitor and control illegal wildlife consumption.
Although there are some legal frameworks on wildlife conservation and protection that have helped improve addressing wildlife crimes, the threat of trafficking and illegal wildlife consumption still remains. The challenges to overcome are related to law enforcement prioritization, capacity and resources, the continuing high consumer demand for wildlife products, and the ever-evolving tactics of criminal groups to bypass controls and protect their interests using corrupt influence, encrypted online communications and trade, and illicit financial flows.