New partnership to counter corruption in illegal wildlife supply chains

Illegal wildlife trafficking is a global issue that involves multiple forms of corruption throughout a supply chain. Criminals rely on corrupt practices to smuggle illegal cargo, from customs officials forging documentation to judges accepting bribes. To effectively tackle this crime, it is crucial to identify corruption points and research the methods used by these criminals.

Transparency International, renowned for its expertise in combating corruption and TRAFFIC, global lead NGO investigating illegal wildlife trade, will work together to address corruption in this field. To cement their commitment, the organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

This unique partnership highlights the rising importance of closer cooperation between conservation and anti-corruption communities. To save our planet and its species, we need to tackle the corruption that so often enables it. To fight global corruption successfully, one needs to focus on its environmental impacts as well.”

Gabriel Šípoš, Anti-Corruption Coordinator at TRAFFIC

“We are excited about our partnership with TRAFFIC and look forward to exchanging ideas and experiences in tackling corruption, recognising its critical role in facilitating wildlife trafficking and environmental crime. This partnership reinforces our shared vision of a world free of corruption in efforts to protect our climate and environment,” said Brice Böhmer, Climate and Environment Lead at Transparency International.

Brice Böhmer explained that the organisations also celebrated the anniversary of the Countering Environment Corruption Practitioners Forum, which launched at the IACC in 2022, stating, “Our partnership with TRAFFIC is solid evidence of the success of this Forum in linking up conservationists and anti-corruption actors.”

The Forum, counting close to 700 members, continues to expand and share its expertise with others through webinars and presentations. The next meeting organised by TRAFFIC looks at how to use beneficial ownership data to tackle corruption and promote value chain integrity.

The collaboration between Transparency International and TRAFFIC marks a significant step forward in the fight against corruption in illegal wildlife supply chains, the leading facilitator of illicit wildlife trade. By combining their expertise and resources, these organisations aim to make a lasting impact to preserve our planet's biodiversity.