(Thailand) – Delegation from UAE participated in the 16th Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), held recently in Bangkok, Thailand. The UAE delegation to Cop16 was led by Assistant Undersecretary of MoEW for Agricultural and Livestock Affairs, H.E. Saif Mohammed Al Sharea, and included, from the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, the Executive Director of Animal Welfare Affairs, H.E. Nasser Ali Al Shamsi, and the Executive Director of Biodiversity, H.E. Sheikha Salim Al Dhaheri.
CoP16 considered 70 proposals submitted by 55 States regarding a range of species, from polar bears to turtles and tropical timbers. Committee I of the Conference of the Parties considered the proposal from the United States of America to transfer the polar bear from CITES Appendix II (commercial trade allowed under a strict permit system) to Appendix I, which would bring an end to commercial trade in the species.
The UAE is among of the 176 states which adhered to CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) which is an international inter-governmental agreement to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.
