3 December 2013: The 41st Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS StC41) discussed the increased competition for funding with other multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) and the need for synergies, policy coherence and greater efficiency. During the Meeting, the Secretariat highlighted progress in the development of an international action plan for the conservation of the argali sheep as well as the Central Asian Initiative to conserve migratory mammals.

CMS StC41 met from 27-28 November, in Bonn, Germany. The Secretariat highlighted that more countries are joining CMS, such as the Kyrgyz Republic, which in October 2013 signed a law will come into effect 1 January 2014 to accede to the Convention. Participants discussed: the future shape of CMS; progress in implementing Resolution 10.9, which concerns the reform of the Scientific Council; the review and the viability of Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) and agreements; and opportunities to merge common services and areas in the CMS Family. The Secretariat provided an overview on the implementation of priority activities, including the new phase in conserving Sahelo-Saharan Antelopes, which includes a management plan for the Nature Reserve of Termit Tin Toumma in Niger.

CMS StC41 also accepted offers from both Ecuador and the Philippines to host sessions of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention (COP). Ecuador will host COP 11 in November 2014, and the Philippines will host COP 12 in 2017. The 42nd Meeting of the StC is due to take place immediately prior to COP 11 in November 2014. [CMS News] [CMS StC41 Meeting Documents]