Speech by MOS Alvin Tan at the Cities Global Youth Summit Opening

May 27, 2025


President Tharman Shanmugaratnam

Friends from Singapore and around the world

Ladies and gentlemen

Good morning! To our overseas delegates and friends, a warm welcome to Singapore.

We are here for the CITES Global Youth Summit. My name is Alvin Tan, and I am the newly minted Minister of State for National Development.

It’s only my second day on the job, I wouldn’t say that I know exactly all aspects of various species of flora and fauna, but I do have some background into wildlife and youths. Previously, when I was in the technology sector, I worked on stopping illegal wildlife trade online.

And I just left the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, having worked with youths intensively for the last five years. It’s bringing these two worlds together and enjoying my new job on my second day.

It is wonderful to get this opportunity to bring, as I said, these two worlds together, and my speech today will cover something which is not entirely foreign to all of you, and I will make it very simple.

  • Why we must combat illegal wildlife trade
  • How can we combat illegal wildlife trade
  • Who should combat illegal wildlife trade

Why We Must Combat Illegal Wildlife Trade

Let’s start with the question which all of you already know – why we must combat illegal wildlife trade. But it is an important reminder to all of us. As all of us know, the illegal wildlife trade is one of the most urgent threats to our planet’s biodiversity. Every year, millions of animals are poached or trafficked, pushing species closer to extinction, destabilising ecosystems, and fueling organised crime.

This is not just a conservation issue – illegal trade of wild animals and plants threatens the survival of endangered species, contributes to habitat destruction and harms biodiversity around the world. This affects every single one of us, regardless of where we come from.

How We Can Combat Illegal Wildlife Trade

So what can we do, and how can we then combat illegal wildlife trade? Let me share Singapore’s perspective.

First, in Singapore, we adopt a zero-tolerance stance against illegal trade of endangered wildlife species.

In fact, in recent years, we enhanced our legislation, our laws, to increase penalties and also to strengthen enforcement powers for illegal trade in CITES species.

What does this do? This helps ensure that any trade in species protected under CITES is carried out sustainably.

It also reflects Singapore’s firm commitment to tackle illegal wildlife trade, as a Party to CITES.

Second, we use tools and cutting-edge technologies to help us detect and enforce against illegal wildlife trade.

One example is FinFinder. FinFInder is a tool that we use to identify the fins of sharks and rays, including CITES-listed species, within seconds. You take a photo, it goes into a database, and it can identify that the fin belongs to a hammerhead shark, for example.

Another example is the work of our Centre for Wildlife Forensics, which is registered in the CITES directory of wildlife forensics laboratories.

This Centre uses advanced molecular and genetic analysis methods to identify wildlife products and trace them to their source. This supports enforcement and prosecution, and provides insights on potential trade routes of trafficked wildlife products.

Third, we build strong partnerships. These partnerships are across the Singapore Government and also outside the Singapore Government.

Within the Singapore Government, our agencies, such as NParks, Singapore Customs and the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, work closely to conduct checks at our border checkpoints, monitor physical and online marketplaces, and take enforcement actions against perpetrators.

In fact, last year, NParks and ICA detected 42 cases of animal smuggling, involving both wildlife and pets.

This includes the attempted smuggling of 58 Indian Star Tortoises. The Indian Star Tortoise is a scheduled species under Appendix I of CITES for being most endangered and is prohibited from being traded internationally. In this case, the smuggler was sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment. We don’t just work collaboratively within the Singapore Government and agencies, but we also work with international partners, sharing any findings that can help tackle poaching hotspots more effectively, and curb illegal wildlife trade at source.

For example, NParks seized a record haul of elephant ivory and pangolin scales back in 2019, which led to the arrest of 14 suspected criminals by Chinese authorities.

Who Should Combat Illegal Wildlife Trade

Finally, who should combat illegal wildlife trade. Not a difficult question, obviously all of us. But today, the focus is clearly and sharply on you, our youths.

And I wanted to highlight what you have already been doing, and put the spotlight on you.

Just two years ago, it was announced that our young Singaporeans, Steffi as well as Wai Kit, would launch the CGYN, the CITES Global Youth Network. You’ve turned your ambition and ideas into action.

You established CGYN at the CITES Youth Leadership Programme in April last year and have since made significant strides since. CGYN is today an important platform for youths to network, share knowledge, and build a strong foundational understanding of the intricacies of sustainable wildlife trade from an early stage.

Today, because of the work you guys have been doing, we are here for the very first CITES Global Youth Summit! It’s not just getting together and sharing knowledge, but you’ve also published interesting research.

Last month, CGYN’s Research & Innovation team published an article titled “Global youth as catalysts for legal and sustainable wildlife trade solutions’ in the “Frontiers” Science Journal. Led by two of your members, Michelle Anagnostou and Celine Ng from Canada and Malaysia, your team gathered insights from conversations during the CITES Youth Leadership Programme and wider literature to recommend how youths can be involved in the CITES Strategic Vision and its goals. Your paper and your research team showcase the fledging but promising research capability of CGYN youths.

Your collective efforts have also given us all hope and inspiration. Hope and inspiration that you will soon take on the mantle, already you have been taking on the mantle, of wildlife conservation, and inspire and influence conservation efforts beyond Singapore, beyond this Summit, and globally.

Conclusion

Ladies and Gentlemen, in conclusion we’ve discussed:

  • Why We Must Combat Illegal Wildlife Trade
  • How We Can Combat Illegal Wildlife Trade
  • Who Should Combat Illegal Wildlife Trade

Allow me to close my remarks by shining the spotlight on the winds beneath your wings who make your journey possible, yesterday, today and onward to the future.

To our youth stewards and the organising committee – led by Steffi Tan and Ting Wai Kit – thank you for your hard work and dedication over the past year in putting together this event, bringing this Summit to life, and for all of us.

To our youth mentors, speakers, and local and regional partners:

  • CITES Secretariat
  • NParks
  • City Developments Limited
  • Mandai Nature
  • Resorts World Sentosa, and of course, many other partners and individuals.
  • To CGYN advisors, Dr. Jessica Lee (Deputy Vice President & Head of Avian Species Programmes & Partnerships at Mandai Nature) and Dr. Adrian Loo (Deputy Director of the Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions.

To all our youths here,

  • Remember that your voices, your actions and your and ideas matter, not just at this Summit, but beyond it.
  • Why? Because your voices have already and will shape policies, both in your respective countries, in regions and internationally.
  • So from today to Saturday, and beyond, be bold. Express your concerns, express your ideas, and share your perspectives.
  • Because the solutions you propose today could become tomorrow’s practice.
  • Our world, our planet needs your creativity, your courage and your passion to drive and effect real change as we together combat illegal wildlife trade and ensure the long-term survival of our precious biodiversity.

Thank you very much.