26 September 2016
CITES CoP17 Opens, Readies to Consider 62 Proposals
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The seventeenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP17) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) opened in Johannesburg, South Africa.

South Africa's President Jakob Zuma stated his country is taking actions on illegal trade in wildlife called upon by the UN General Assembly and UN Environment Assembly.

cites_cop1724 September 2016: The seventeenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP17) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) opened in Johannesburg, South Africa. South Africa’s President Jakob Zuma stated his country is taking actions on illegal trade in wildlife called upon by the UN General Assembly and UN Environment Assembly.

John Scanlon, Secretary-General, CITES, welcomed Angola, Iraq, EU, Tajikistan and Tonga as new Parties to CITES. He highlighted the challenges in fighting illegal wildlife trade and ensuring legal and sustainable trade. He noted that CoP17 is not just about those challenges, but what CITES is doing to meet those challenges.

CITES CoP17 will consider 62 proposals to change CITES trade controls affecting close to 500 species put forward by 64 countries representing every region of the world. Over 2,500 delegates, including those representing more than 180 countries, are due to attend. Changes to trade controls for the African elephant, white rhinoceros, lion, pumas, pangolins, silky and thresher sharks, devil rays, nautilus, peregrine falcons, African grey parrot, crocodiles, flapshell turtles, the Titicaca water frog and psychedelic rock gecko, as well as the Grandidier’s baobab tree and many species of rosewood, and other animals and plants will all be decided upon.

The opening of the CoP was preceded by the sixty-seventh meeting of the CITES Standing Committee (SC67) and the Ministerial Event on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). [CITES Press Release] [IISD RS Coverage of CITES CoP17] [CITES CoP17 Proposals]

 


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