Summary
SC66 reconvened Wednesday to address strategic matters, among other issues. The CITES Secretariat introduced the report on the celebration of World Wildlife Day, highlighting that the 2016 theme is “The future of wildlife is in our hands.” On cooperation with other organizations, CITES Secretary-General John Scanlon said the Secretariat is trying to be focused and pragmatic in addressing synergies.
On options to strengthen cooperation, collaboration and synergies between CITES and the other biodiversity-related conventions, the Secretariat reported on five areas of cooperation: UNEP-related activities; the Biodiversity Liaison Group; processes led by the Convention on Biological Diversity; cooperation with the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS); and information and knowledge management through the UN Information Portal on Multilateral Environmental Agreements (InforMEA).
The International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) also launched its Strategic Programme for 2016-2020, detailing targeted activities, operations and initiatives that the Consortium seeks to deliver to support wildlife law enforcement agencies with combating illicit wildlife trafficking and enhance their capacity to take enforcement action to fight these serious crimes.
Working groups continued to meet during the day.
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web updates and a summary and analysis report from the 66th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Our summary and analysis report is available in HTML and PDF.
Yuan Liu, CITES Secretariat, introduces the report on World Wildlife Day.
Federico Castrogiovanni, Italy, consulting with his delegation.
Delegation of the Netherlands
Representatives from China leading the discussion at the meeting of the Intersessional Working Group on Asian Big Cats.
L-R: Alejandra Goyenechea, Defenders of Wildlife, with Juan-Carlos Vasquez, CITES Secretariat
CITES Secretariat behind the scenes: (L-R) Susanne Bengtsson and Nadia Berny