CITES Feedback COP 19 Day 2: Plenary 1 & 2

15 November 2022

• Doc 83. Identifying species at risk of extinction for CITES Parties
Submitted by The Gambia, Liberia, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal
A large number of species facing a high risk of extinction (i.e. species assessed by IUCN as Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable) for which international trade is a potential threat are not yet protected under CITES or receive insufficient CITES protection relative to their conservation status. Under current mechanisms, CITES Parties do not have the tools they need to closely monitor changes indicating the risk of extinction for species that are or may be affected by international trade resulting in a regulation gap. – After long deliberation, the motion was adjourned.

• Item 87.2 Aquatic species listed in the CITES appendices
Proposal for a new approach to the listing of sharks and rays. – Long discussion, a working group was formed

• 8. Language strategy for the Convention
A proposal to include more languages in Cites, specifically Arabic and Chinese has been referred to a working group. On the one hand it will make participation easier for many, but there is a concern on the financial burden.

• 10. CITES Strategic Vision
Many amendments are proposed to the CITES Strategic Vision statement, and this too were referred to a Working Group. Susan Swart obo SUCo-SA will participate in this group.

• 25. Action plan on gender-related matters
There is a proposal for CITES to adopt a Gender Plan to ensure that the role of women in trade and conservation is supported and improved. Some countries want to include non-binary gender groups, etc. South Africa confirmed that we have many women in the total industry. The importance of this proposal lies in the recognition that this gives to communities/livelihoods and right to trade. Our government is on this group.

• 23. Role of CITES in reducing risk of future zoonotic disease emergence associated with international wildlife trade Zoonotic Diseases most parties agreed that limitations of trade are required to mitigate risk of pandemics from wildlife, US proposed a One-Health approach. Chile however said CITES is not the correct vehicle for this. Suco made a powerful intervention that trade is not the problem per se, and that this is not within the mandate of CITES. As no consensus was reached the proposal was referred to a working committee. Pieter Swart for SATTA is included in the group, representing SUCo-SA.

* The SUCo-SA and IWMC group is trying to strategically place members of the team on the various working groups. We will report on other groups later.