The Secretariat shall:
a) compile and analyse the information submitted by Parties on measures adopted before the 20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP20) to fulfil the requirements laid down in the text of the Convention and Resolution Conf. 8.4 (Rev. CoP15) on National laws for implementation of the Convention;
b) assist the Standing Committee in reviewing progress of Parties in adopting appropriate measures for effective implementation of the Convention and in identifying additional Parties requiring attention as a priority;
c) subject to external funding, provide legal advice and assistance to Parties on the development of appropriate measures for effective implementation of the Convention, including legislative guidance for and training of CITES authorities, legislative drafters, policymakers, the judiciary, parliamentarians and other relevant government officials responsible for the formulation and adoption of CITES-related legislation;
d) subject to external funding, develop legislative guidance on transit and transhipment and recommend as appropriate possible amendments to Resolution Conf. 9.7 (Rev. CoP15) on Transit and transhipment;
e) subject to available resources, develop guidance on the implementation of the Convention (e.g., issuance of permits and certificates) in the event of exceptional circumstances that impede the proper functioning of CITES at the national level and submit its recommendations to the Standing Committee for consideration including, as appropriate, possible amendments to relevant Resolutions, including to Resolution Conf. 12.3 (Rev. CoP19) on Permits and certificates;
f) in the provision of legislative assistance, cooperate with the legal programmes of United Nations bodies and intergovernmental organizations, such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the United Nations Environment Programme, the World Bank and regional development banks, as well as regional organizations, such as the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization, the Association of South East Asian Nations, the League of Arab States, the Organization of American States and the Pacific Regional Environment Programme;
g) report at the regular meetings of the Standing Committee on Parties’ progress in adopting appropriate measures for effective implementation of the Convention and, if necessary, recommend the adoption of appropriate compliance measures including, as a last resort, recommendations to suspend trade in specimens of CITES-listed species; and
h) report at regular meetings of the Standing Committee, as appropriate, and at the 20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties on progress made with regard to the implementation of Resolution Conf. 8.4 (Rev. CoP15) on National laws for implementation of the Convention and Decisions 19.58 to 19.62.