Safety Across Asia for the Global Environment (SAFE) Project: China out of UN’s wildlife survey for pandemic controls

Source: The post is based on the article “China out of UN’s wildlife survey for pandemic controls” published in The Hindu on 14th April 2023

What is the News?

China is not participating in a United Nations project called Safety Across Asia for the Global Environment (SAFE) to survey high-risk facilities, including Asian wet markets, that may cause the spread of infectious diseases from animals to humans.

What is Safety Across Asia for the Global Environment (SAFE) Project?

Launched by: United Nations in 2021.

Aim: To focus on the connection between wildlife trafficking and zoonotic disease transmission with the aim to prevent future pandemics. 

Coordinated by: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which monitors illegal wildlife trafficking is coordinating the project.

Funded by: European Union.

Countries: Four Asian countries – China, Thailand, Vietnam and Laos – were initially selected for the project because they host multiple facilities presenting risks of animal-to-human disease transmission.

– However, China has effectively dropped out from the project. It was replaced with the Malaysian state of Sabah on Borneo Island.

Note: Vietnam and Laos have yet to approve the survey.