Summary
CITES CoP17 delegates reconvened in Plenary to adopt all documents and proposals, with some Parties’ attempts to reopen discussions on Peregrine falcon and African grey parrot defeated. The meeting was gaveled to a close at 6:11 PM.
The sound of the gavel in plenary was reminiscent of the opening ceremony, when delegates drummed in unison and wild enthusiasm, setting the rhythm for the largest CoP to date. Thanks to a highly organized Secretariat, the expert leadership of Committee Chairs, the tireless efforts of drafting and in-session working groups, and the collaborative spirit of Parties, delegates reached consensus on most agenda items and debated on the others in a respectful manner. If this is indeed John Scanlon’s last CITES CoP in the role of Secretary-General, as rumor has it, he will be leaving on a high note.
"Although we were all drumming in a slightly different way," Scanlon noted in the closing ceremony, "we were all drumming to the same beat. That was the spirit of this meeting."
ENB SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS: The Earth Negotiations Bulletin summary and analysis of CoP17 will be available on Saturday, 8 October 2016.
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports and a summary and analysis report in English and French from CITES CoP17. The summary and analysis report is now available in HTML and PDF.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth
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Plenary
View of the dais during plenary
Edna Molewa, Minister of Environmental Affairs, South Africa
CoP Chair Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, South Africa
Jonathan Barzdo, Chair, Committee II
Karen Gaynor, Chair, Committee I
Craig Hoover, US
Delegates take note of recommendations as they are adopted
Daven Joseph, Antigua and Barbuda
Thea Carroll, South Africa
Elizabeth Taylor Jay, Colombia
Shereefa Al-Salem, Kuwait
Cyril Taolo, Botswana
Basile van Havre, Canada
Øystein Størkersen, Norway
Paul Murphy, Australia
Aurélie Flore Koumba Pambo, Gabon
John Scanlon, Secretary-General, CITES
Ghanim Abdulla Mohammed, Qatar
Ernesto Adobo, Philippines
Shirley Ramírez Carvajal, Costa Rica
Delegates vote on whether to re-open items
Umeed Khalid, Pakistan
Rodrigo Medellin, Mexico
Colman O Criodain,
World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
Susan Lieberman,
Wildlife Conservation Society, US
Will Travers,
Species Survival Network (SSN)
Juney Ward, Secretariat of the Pacific
Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)
Josef Schmuck, Documentation Center for Species Protection
Delegates applaud the conclusion of the meeting
Closing Remarks
A South African singer performs at the closing ceremony
Edna Molewa, Minister of Environmental Affairs, South Africa, thanks delegates for attending the meeting
A glass rhino statue is given in thanks to Committee members
John Scanlon, Secretary-General, CITES, gives gifts of thanks to CoP Chair Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Minister of International
Relations and Cooperation, South Africa, Committee Chairs Jonathan Barzdo and Karen Gaynor, and Edna Molewa,
Minister of Environmental Affairs, South Africa
Delegates give a standing ovation to John Scanlon, Secretary-General, CITES, for his work at CITES CoP17
A beaded blue crane is handed over to Sunil De Silva, Sri Lanka, to congratulate them on their selection to host the next CoP
CoP Chair Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, South Africa, closes CoP17
World Wildlife Day Awards
John Scanlon, Secretary-General, CITES (L), and Edna Molewa, Minister of Environmental Affairs, South Africa (R),
present awards to the three winners of UN World Wildlife Day poster competition:
Yang Lijie, China (not present); Nabil Mendjeli, Algeria; and Patrick George, UK
Around the Venue
Delegates from Africa
Jonathan Barzdo, Chair, Committee II, and
Karen Gaynor, Chair, Committee I
Resson Kantai Duff, Save the Elephants
Delegates from Iran
Delegates from Ireland
Delegates from Brazil
Delegates from Guatemala
Delegates from Trinidad and Tobago
Delegates from Sudan
Delegates from the South Pacific stand with the Fiji flag
Tom Milliken, TRAFFIC
Melanie Virtue, Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), speaks with a delegate
Delegates wore a variety of animal-themed outfits throughout the week
Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) team covering CITES CoP17: Tanya Rosen; Kate Harris;
Annelies van Gaalen; Bo-Alex Fredvik; Tasha Golberg; and Kiara Worth