CITES CoP 16 Briefing to the Permanent Missions and NGOs in Geneva

The 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP16) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, from 3 to 14 March 2013. The Opening coincides with the 40th Anniversary of the Convention.

A briefing on the matters to be addressed by the 177 Parties to CITES at CoP16 was organized on Friday 15 February. These include: enhanced enforcement measures to tackle the spike in the illegal killing of elephants and rhino and related illegal trade, listing proposals for many species, including sharks and rays, the polar bear, and numerous timber species, whether the GEF should serve as a financial mechanism for CITES, and transparency in voting. The briefing will be held at the International Environment House 2 on Friday 15 February.

Agenda

10:00
Coffee & Tea

10:15
Welcome and introduction
John Scanlon, Secretary-General, CITES Secretariat

10:20
Remarks on CITES CoP 16 by the Host Country
Natapanu Nopakun, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Thailand

10:30
Preparations for CITES CoP 16
Senior enforcement, law, outreach and science staff of the CITES Secretariat

John Scanlon, Secretary-General, CITES Secretariat
David Morgan, Chief Scientific Services
Marceil Yeater, Chief Legal Affairs & Trade Policy
Tom de Meulenaer, Scientific Support Officer
Ben Janse van Rensburg, Chief, Enforcement Support
Juan Carlos Vasquez, Communications and Outreach Officer

11:30
Question-and-answer session

12:00
End