The Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) have signed an agreement formalising Uzbekistan’s offer to host the 20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the CITES (CITES COP20).
The signing took place on October 29, 2024, at the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP16) in Cali, Colombia, underscoring the interconnectedness of global efforts to conserve the planet’s biodiversity.
Mr. Aziz Abdukhakimov, Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan, signed the Host Country Agreement on behalf of the Uzbek government. In the presence of Mr. Juan Carlos Navarro, Minister of Environment of Panama, which was the host of CITES COP19 in 2022, CITES Secretary-General, Ms. Ivonne Higuero, signed the Agreement on behalf of the Secretariat.
Minister Abdukhakimov said: “Signing the Host Country Agreement during CBD COP16 emphasizes the importance of collaboration in tackling biodiversity loss and illegal wildlife trade. We are excited to welcome the international community to Samarkand for COP20 in 2025, where we will unite our efforts in safeguarding our planet’s rich biological heritage.”
In handing over the role of hosting the CITES COP from Panama to Uzbekistan, Minister Navarro remarked, “as we pass our host country flag, I am confident that Uzbekistan will enjoy hosting CITES COP20 as much as we have for COP19. This is not only because of the importance of regulating wildlife trade, but also because CITES COP is a highly technical meeting. It ensures that CITES decision-making is scientifically based and has a tangible impact on our economies and societies.”
CITES Secretary-General Higuero said: “We extend our gratitude to the Republic of Uzbekistan for their generous and timely offer to host CITES COP20 in beautiful Samarkand. Hosting CITES COP20 in this ancient city brings both a sense of history and a vision of the future – a future of Peace with Nature, in which international trade in wild species is well-regulated, the challenges associated with wildlife crime are significantly diminished and CITES-listed species are able to thrive in nature.”
With the signing, Uzbekistan will officially host the gathering of the 184 Parties to CITES and the wide array of wildlife conservation and trade stakeholders in Samarkand in 2025. A CITES Party since 1997, Uzbekistan is home to numerous species listed in the CITES Appendices, including the snow leopard, the saiga antelope and medicinal plants. By bringing this global conference on wildlife trade to Samarkand, Uzbekistan is demonstrating its commitment to international cooperation and the future of wild fauna and flora species.
CITES COP20 provides the opportunity for CITES Parties to engage in vital discussions regarding the sustainability, legality and traceability of international wildlife trade, species conservation, and sustainable resource management. Every two to three years, the Conference of the Parties meets to review the implementation of the Convention, providing the occasion for CITES Parties to:
- review progress in the conservation of species included in the Appendices;
- consider (and where appropriate adopt) proposals to amend the lists of species in Appendices I and II;
- consider discussion documents and reports from the Parties, the permanent committees, the Secretariat and working groups;
- recommend measures to improve the effectiveness of the Convention; and
- make provisions (including the adoption of a budget) necessary to allow the Secretariat to function effectively.
In addition to being the 20th CITES COP meeting, the 2025 gathering will coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Convention’s entry into force in 1975.
