Illegal wildlife trade is a growing global phenomenon that has serious ecological, economic, security, and social costs and often involves highly organized crime groups who exploit wild fauna and flora at unsustainable levels.

From 10–12 March 2013, ADB and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora convened chief justices, justices, attorneys general, high-ranking law enforcers, and representatives from intergovernmental and nongovernment organizations and civil society to discuss critical wildlife issues in a symposium held as a side event of the 16th Conference of the Parties.

Eminent experts in the field and partners in the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime highlighted the significance of wildlife crime as a transnational organized crime, the wildlife species targeted by wildlife crime syndicates, primary trade routes, and the various strategies of dealing with wildlife crime. The participants left equipped with the necessary substantive and technical knowledge to effectively combat wildlife crime, secure enforcement, ensure justice, and uphold the rule of law.