16 April 2014: The Secretariat of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) has invited parties to comment on the ‘Assessment of the CMS Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) and their Viability,’ as called for by CMS Resolution 10.9, Annex 1, activity 5.3. The final Assessment will be presented to the 11th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CMS, which will convene from 4-9 November, in Quito, Ecuador.

According to the Assessment prepared by the CMS Secretariat, while each MOU is unique, general criteria can be identified to guide effective functioning and implementation of an MOU. The report notes that some MOUs provide a useful framework for cooperation that signatories can manage by themselves, however other, more complex MOUs are intended to attract attention and new resources to help range States improve conservation. According to the Assessment, an MOU is viable when the signatories are willing and able to run it themselves; there is a strong engagement from the stakeholders in the MOU and some funding to assist them; and/or there are resources to run a functional secretariat.

CMS Resolution 10.9, Annex 1, activity 5, called for a global gap and resource assessment (5.1), including a resource assessment of the Convention (5.2) and the assessment of the MOUs and their viability (5.3). Comments on the draft are due by 13 June 2014. [CMS News] [An Assessment of the CMS MOUs and their Viability] [Notification to the Parties]