The ninth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species, organized by the CMS Secretariat and the Government of Italy, will be held from 1-5 December 2008. It will be preceded by the 15th meeting of the CMS Scientific Council (27-28 November), a meeting of the Steering Committee of the UNEP/GEF Siberian Crane Wetlands Project (28-30 November), the first Meeting of the Parties to the Gorilla Agreement (29 November), a meeting on arid land mammals (30 November) and the 34th meeting of the CMS Standing Committee (30 November). The second meeting on international cooperation on migratory sharks will be held from 6-8 December 2008, immediately following the COP.  

dates: 1-5 December 2008  
location: Rome, Italy  
contact: CMS Secretariat  
phone: 49-228-815-2401/02  
fax: 49-228-815-2449  
e-mail: secretariat@cms.int  
www: http://www.cms.int/bodies/COP/cop9/cop9_meeting_docs.htm