4 March 2011: The Secretariats of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) met via video conference, on 2 March 2011, to review joint achievements and map out their future collaboration.

This was the first virtual meeting of the staff of the two Secretariats, with video conferencing being used to reduce the meeting’s costs and carbon footprint.The Secretariats addressed issues including: individual species; harmonization of listings on the conventions’ appendices and nomenclature; preparation for forthcoming meetings of the conventions’ governing bodies; and strategic issues related to biodiversity, sustainable development and the interrelationship with other entities and processes. The discussions included how the Secretariats can collaborate with one another, share best practice and experience, and enhance efficiency.

The Secretariats agreed to present a revised list of joint activities to the 61st meeting of the CITES Standing Committee in Geneva, Switzerland in August 2011, the 38th meeting of the CMS Standing Committee and the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CMS, in Bergen, Norway, in November 2011, as well as to identify areas of mutual strategic interest to the Parties and their Secretariats, such as those referred to above. [CITES Press Release] [CMS Press Release]