To more efficiently counter the serious threat that wildlife trafficking poses to the conservation of animal and plant species and the national interests of the United States, the Service has reoriented its response to combat wildlife trafficking in light of a whole-of-government approach that is outlined

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in the Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt Wildlife Trafficking Act of 2016 and implementation of the National Strategy referred to therein.

A critical element of the National Strategy is to strengthen international arrangements that protect wildlife.

USFWS has the primary responsibility for provision of support and technical assistance to ensure that Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) have appropriate domestic measures in place to implement the treaty effectively and to ensure the effective implementation and enforcement of the treaty.

To complement and facilitate existing efforts, USFWS has issued this Notice of Funding Opportunity to provide technical and financial assistance to projects that advance counter-wildlife trafficking activities through strengthening CITES implementation.

Authorizing statutes include National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking; Executive Order 13648; July 5, 2013; Implementation Plan of the National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking; February 11, 2014; Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C.

1531-43).