Following the conclusion of the 18th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP18) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the CITES Secretariat held a ‘High-level Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade in the Americas.’  Also on the issue of illicit trade in flora and fauna, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution addressing tracking globally. 

CITES published, on 7 November, the full suite of Decisions adopted at CoP18, held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 17-28 August 2019. The record number of Decisions amounts to the most ambitious programme of work adopted by CITES Parties to date. The 357 Decisions cover a great variety of issues, from the enhancement of the regulation of trade in various species of plants and animals and efforts needed to combat illegal trade, to capacity building, compliance, law enforcement, and engagement of indigenous peoples and local communities. Many of the Decisions are focused on the functions of the Secretariat, while others identify specific steps to be taken by Parties and the Secretariat to implement the Strategic Vision Post 2020.

Ivonne Higuero, CITES Secretary-General, mentioned that the ambitious work programme “demonstrates the increasing reliance on CITES to effectively regulate international trade of vulnerable wild fauna and flora.”

In October, discussions during the first ‘High-level Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade in the Americas,’ which convened from 3-4 October in Lima, Peru, focused on the need to strengthen collaboration across source, transit and destination countries and on the criminal justice system response to wildlife trafficking, including wildlife crime linked to the internet. Speaking at the conference, Higuero highlighted that “no country can win the fight against illegal trade in wildlife alone,” underscoring the need for cooperation. She added that the political, financial and technical support generated at the conference “must be translated into direct support to the fight on the front-lines,” in order for the Parties to be better equipped to fulfill their commitments under CITES.

Other issues that had prominence during the discussions included illegal trade in marine species and jaguar and UNGA Resolution A/73/L.120 on tackling illicit trafficking in wildlife, adopted in September 2019. By this resolution, Member States urge taking decisive steps at national, regional and international levels to prevent, combat and eradicate illegal trade in wildlife by strengthening the requisite legislation and regulations necessary for the prevention, investigation, prosecution and appropriate punishment of such crimes.

The resolution welcomes new initiatives adopted at CITES CoP18, including resolutions and Decisions such as the CITES Strategic Vision 2021-2030. It further encourages Member States to take appropriate measures to enforce the provisions of CITES, including measures to penalize trade in, or possession of, illegally traded specimens, or both. The resolution further calls upon Member States to integrate, as appropriate, the investigation of financial crimes linked to wildlife trafficking into wildlife crime investigations, and to increase the use of financial investigation techniques and public-private collaboration to identify criminals and their networks. 

Overall, the Conference in the Americas and the resolution align with SDG target 15.7, which calls for “urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products.” [CITES Press Release on Programme of Work] [CITES Press Release on the Conference in the Americas] [CITES Press Release on UNGA Resolution] [Resolution A/73/L.120]