The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) held four joint regional meetings in an effort to coordinate Parties' preparation for the Conventions' Conferences of the Parties (COP), which will take place in September and December, respectively.
The joint meetings brought together over 100 countries in Africa, Asia, Central and South America and the Caribbean and Oceania, providing an opportunity for Parties to the two Conventions to prioritize topics and exchange views on CITES-CBD joint elements, such as on synergies among the biodiversity-related conventions.
13 September 2016: The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) held four joint regional meetings in an effort to coordinate Parties’ preparation for the Conventions’ Conferences of the Parties (COP), which will take place in September and December, respectively. The joint meetings brought together over 100 countries in Africa, Asia, Central and South America and the Caribbean and Oceania, providing an opportunity for Parties to the two Conventions to prioritize topics and exchange views on CITES-CBD joint elements, such as on synergies among the biodiversity-related conventions.
CITES CoP 17, which will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, will discuss over 60 proposals for the amendment of CITES Appendices and actions to end illegal wildlife trafficking, among other agenda items. CBD COP 13, which will convene in Cancun, Mexico, will review progress towards achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, among other topics.
“Over the years, the Secretariat has received requests to allow Parties to meet as a region in advance of the CoP to share information and exchange views on topics that were important for the region,” explained CITES Secretary General John Scanlon. He said 2016 is “the first time ever that the Secretariats of CITES and CBD have joined forces to roll out coordinated pre-CoP meetings across four regions, which has been of great benefit to our Parties in preparing for these critical meetings.”
Participants at the joint meetings discussed the meeting agendas and engaged in preparation for both meetings through sharing information and exchanging views. Parallel sessions allowed participants to review and prepare for items under the agendas of CITES CoP 17 and CBD COP 13. The Conventions’ Secretariats and other partners also provided presentations and briefings.
The joint meetings took place in August and were organized in cooperation with regional partners, including the Secretariat of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), the Organization of American States (OAS), the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), and the Regional Offices of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). Representatives of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Convention also attended. The European Union (EU) provided support for the joint meetings. [CITES Press Release] [CITES Secretary-General Statement] [CITES Website on Meetings] [CITES Notification on Joint Meetings] [Summary reports of the CITES CoP17 regional preparatory meetings]