22nd Meeting of the Plants Committee (PC) of the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

The 22nd meeting of the Plants Committee (PC22) of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) opened today in Tbilisi, Georgia. During the morning’s plenary session, participants heard opening statements from dignitaries, including from Teimuraz Murgulia, First Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia, who underscored the importance of CITES for conserving the diverse flora of Georgia and the Caucasian region.

Participants discussed administrative matters, including proposed amendments to the rules of procedure and addressed a number of strategic matters, including the harvesting of and trade in Prunus africana and the evaluation of the Review of Significant Trade (RST).

In the afternoon, participants resumed deliberations on strategic matters, hearing a report by the Secretariat on the overview of the species-based RST. They also discussed guidance on making non-detriment findings (NDFs), trade and conservation of Malagasy ebonies and rosewoods, implementation of the Convention for Dalbergia spp., and species review. A number of working groups were established, including ones on NDFs for Pericopsis elata and Bulnesia samientoi and harvest and trade in Prunus africana, Review of Significant Trade, guidance on NDFs, and species review.

In the evening, participants attended a reception hosted by the Government of Georgia.