USAID Saving Threatened Wildlife Annual Report July – September 2021

The activity aims to enhance the commitment of leaders within the Government of Viet Nam (GVN) at the national and provincial level, seek support from the private sector, and reduce demand and consumption of illegal wildlife products. The objectives of this activity are to engage and develop Counter Wildlife Trafficking (CWT) champions in the public sector, private sector, and civil society, enhance CWT law enforcement, and reduce consumer demand for illegal wildlife products. The Saving Threatened Wildlife Activity has a nation-wide focus, with project activities designed for both national and local levels. Initial efforts will focus on provinces and cities that are considered hot spots due to the consumption or illegal trade of wildlife, and/or where there is a commitment to address wildlife trafficking. The activity has prioritized biodiversity targets that include species at risk from international trade into Viet Nam and species that are regularly poached and traded domestically or internationally. From July to September 2021, a series of advertisements and interviews were undertaken to recruit candidates for the project's key positions. This will mean that in the next quarter, four of five Key Personnel and three senior positions will be in place and supporting the development of the Work Plan, Activity Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (AMEL) Plan, and recruitment of other project positions. In August, the Detailed Project Document (DPD) was submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) for review, as part of the process to seek GVN approval for the project. The project has made significant progress in recruiting the project team, establishing agreements with sub-grantees, contracting consultants to deliver the Political Economy Analysis (PEA), and liaising with the GVN to ensure that the Activity receives approval within a reasonable timeframe. The Chief of Party (COP) was nominated as part of WWF's application to the CWT Notification and was in position on August 16, 2021. The COP will work remotely from the UK liaising with project partners and the Agreement Office Representative (AOR)/USAID until November, when they are expected to relocate to Viet Nam. The Deputy COP (DCOP) was interviewed in June and has been contracted with a start date of October 4, 2021. The Strategic Approach (SA) Technical Lead positions were advertised in May and June 2021, and the Technical Lead – CWT Partnerships (SA1) and Counter Trafficking (SA2) positions were readvertised in July 2021. A candidate was selected for the Technical Lead – Counter Trafficking (SA2) position, and a summary of their experience and CV was sent to USAID on September 14, for approval. The project has also made progress in developing the annual Work Plan, which will take into consideration that GVN project approval will be accorded in December 2021 at the earliest. The project has prioritized biodiversity targets that include species at risk from international trade into Viet Nam and species that are regularly poached and traded domestically or internationally. The project has also established agreements with sub-grantees, contracted consultants to deliver the PEA, and liaised with the GVN to ensure that the Activity receives approval within a reasonable timeframe. The project's geographic focus is on Viet Nam, with a nation-wide focus on provinces and cities that are considered hot spots due to the consumption or illegal trade of wildlife, and/or where there is a commitment to address wildlife trafficking. The project's timeframes are from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2026, with a reporting period of July 1 to September 30, 2021. The project's recommendations include the need for continued support from the private sector and the GVN to address wildlife trafficking, as well as the need for further research and analysis to inform the project's activities.