Vietnam and Laos have agreed to step up cooperation in the fight against the trading of rare wildlife along their mutual border.
A memorandum of understanding to this effect was signed recently in Vientiane between Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development and the Laos Agriculture and Forestry Ministry.
The agreement was reached despite complex issues surrounding the illegal hunting, trading and transport of wild animals and precious woods are complex along the common border between the two countries.
Under the agreement, forest rangers from both countries will increase the number of inspections of goods for export, share information on local wild life and work together to protect forests and prevent wood being smuggled.
Vietnam will also help Laos to train its technicians.
Both parties passed a joint working plan for the 2009-2012 period.
