Officials during the coordination meeting recently.
Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC) held a coordination meeting with the relevant authorities to follow up on the implementation of the national plan to combat the ivory trade.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the General Authority of Customs, the Municipality and Environment Prosecution, Qatar Airways, Hamad International Airport, Airport Security, and Capital Security.
During the meeting, the recommendations of the CITES SC78 meeting were reviewed, and procedures for recording violations and enhancing cooperation were reviewed to ensure the effective implementation of the national plan to combat the ivory trade.
The Ministry called on the public to contribute to efforts to protect these species, preserve the ecological balance, and ensure the sustainability of wildlife. It also warned citizens and residents against illegal trade in wildlife or wildlife products, such as ivory and rhinoceros horns, stressing that this act is a violation punishable by Law No. 5 of 2006.
MECC’S efforts to combat illegal trade in wildlife and wildlife products are being coordinated with several entities, including the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Justice, and the General Authority of Customs, in addition to Hamad International Airport and Qatar Airways, to combat smuggling and arrest violators.
The Wildlife Development Department of MECC, issues the necessary permits to trade wildlife species responsibly.
Qatar joined the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 2001, to regulate the trade of wildlife and ensure their sustainability in their natural environments. The State made intensive efforts to implement the provisions of the Convention.
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change invited the public to visit its website or contact hotline 16066 for more information about submitting a permit application, which is free of charge within the services provided by the Wildlife Development Department.
