Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the extent of links between the illegal wildlife trade and (a) conflict and (b) terrorism in Africa; and if he will make a statement.
The Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) is an organised and widespread criminal activity, involving transnational networks. The proceeds are in some cases used to support other criminal activities, and have been linked to armed groups engaged in internal and cross border conflicts. There is a risk that terrorist and insurgent groups could benefit from this multi-billion dollar trade and that it fuels insecurity in fragile states.