ACTO’s contributions for the implementation of CITES in Amazonian countries will be presented at the 19th Conference of the Parties in November

Oct 27, 2022 | AMAZON REGIONAL OBSERVATORY | BIOAMAZON PROJECT

Among the main topics are the Amazon Regional Observatory and the Technical Report on Illegal Trafficking of Emblematic Species to the Amazon.

The Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) will participate in the 19th Conference of the Parties of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in which it will present the results of projects and the actions aimed at supporting the implementation of CITES in the Amazon Region.

Of particular relevance is the presentation of the Amazon Regional Observatory (ARO), with emphasis on the CITES Module, which provides information on central management issues related to the topic in ACTO Member Countries, such as lists of Amazonian CITES species; permits; exports, imports, reimports and species repatriations; and a panel on illegal species trafficking.

The contents of this Thematic Module have been produced mainly from national information systems of ACTO Member Countries in collaboration with their respective institutions and official authorities, as well as data from external sources such as CITES and the portals of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), among others.

The side event Implementation and Results of the Amazon Regional Observatory: Effective Tools for the Management, Monitoring and Control of Threatened Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Species Threatened by Trade in the Amazon Region will be held on November 24, from 12:15 to 14:00 hours, in the Caribbean Room 7 of the Panama Convention Center.

Among the speakers are Ivonne Higuero, CITES Secretary General; Daniel Wolf, representative of the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN); a representative of the KfW and authorities and technicians from Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela.

On behalf of ACTO, Carlos Salinas, Director General and Head of Forestry; Mauro Luis Ruffino, Coordinator of the regional project for the management, monitoring and control of wildlife species threatened by trade (Bioamazon Project) and the Amazon Regional Observatory (ARO) will be present. Additionally, Natalia Méndez Ruiz-Tagle, consultant for Bioamazon Project and the ORA, will present the Technical Report on Illegal Trafficking of Five CITES Appendix I Emblematic Species for the Amazon Region.

Tree species

ACTO, through the Bioamazon Project, since 2020 has been supporting its Member Countries in the implementation of CITES standards. This support has been oriented towards the development of Non-detriment Findings (NDF), as well as to the promotion of the exchange of experiences among the eight ACTO Member Countries. Bilateral technical advisory meetings were also held with the purpose of strengthening the capacities of the CITES Authorities (Management and Scientific) and the Forestry Authorities of the Amazonian countries.

During the side event Tree species: Amazonian countries with the support of ACTO coordinate efforts for the implementation of CITES, to be held on November 22, from 17:15 to 19:00 hours, in the Isthmus 1 Room of the Panama Convention Center, the proposed Amazon Regional Action Plan for the implementation of CITES will be presented, as well as ACTO’s experience in strengthening the regional governance structure.

CITES and forestry authorities from Amazonian countries, such as Fabiola Nuñez, representative of Peru; David Veintimilla, representative of Ecuador; and Margarita África Clemente Muñoz, CITES expert, among others, will attend the event. In addition, the Forestry Module of the Amazon Regional Observatory will be launched.

For further information on the ACTO program at CITES CoP 19, “click here”.

Source / Credits: OTCA News