19.15 to 19.19 Role of CITES in reducing risk of future zoonotic disease emergenceassociated with international wildlife trade

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Decision directed to
19.15
Decision directed to:
Secretariat

The Secretariat shall:

a) issue a Notification to the Parties, requesting Parties to report on any measures they have in place to prevent and mitigate the risk of pathogen spillover and transmission from wildlife trade and associated wildlife supply chains including markets, and make the results available on the CITES website as a compilation of responses that could be useful to other Parties;

b) review its Cooperation Agreement with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) to identify any necessary updates to reflect guidance provided by the Animals and Standing Committees and work with WOAH to, inter alia, develop a joint programme of work to identify effective and practical solutions for reducing pathogen spillover risk in wildlife supply chains;

c) collaborate with the Convention on Migratory Species to assess the potential risk of pathogen spillover and identify practical solutions for reducing pathogen spillover risk from wildlife;

d) following any necessary consultations, prepare a report summarizing existing activities or formal agreements with other entities (such as, among others, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and other relevant biodiversity-related agreements, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), World Health Organization (WHO) and International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) as well as possible emerging opportunities, and identify opportunities for additional practical collaboration towards reducing the risk of pathogen spillover or zoonotic disease transmission in international wildlife trade supply chains, including consideration of a possible CITES advisory body; and

e) report to the Animals and Standing Committees on the implementation of Decision 19.15, paragraphs a) to d).

19.16
Decision directed to:
Animals and Plants Committees
The Animals and Plants Committee shall review the report of the Secretariat under Decision 19.15 and make recommendations to the Standing Committee, including on proposed effective and practical solutions for reducing pathogen spillover risk in wildlife supply chains, opportunities for practical collaboration under the direction of existing Resolutions, Decisions or agreements, and consideration of a possible CITES advisory body.
19.17
Decision directed to:
Standing Committee, in consultation with the Animals and Plants Committees

The Standing Committee shall:

a) review the report of the Secretariat under Decision 19.15, taking into account the recommendations of the Animals and Plants Committees under Decision 19.16;

b) taking into account the information provided by the Secretariat and the Animals and Plants Committees, consider the establishment of a CITES advisory body to provide guidance based on best available science to Parties, in their efforts to reduce the risk of zoonotic pathogen spillover and transmission from wildlife trade and associated wildlife supply chains, including markets;

c) taking into account proposals in document CoP19 Doc. 23.2 and in consultation with the Animals and Plants Committees, consider the need for and development of a Resolution on actions CITES Parties and others could take to advance a ‘One Health’ approach as it pertains to international wildlife trade; and

d) provide its guidance to the Secretariat and its recommendations, which may include a new draft Resolution, to the 20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties.

19.18
Decision directed to:
United Nations Environment Programme
The Conference of the Parties invites the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to share information from relevant work carried out under the Quadripartite Collaboration for One Health or other relevant initiatives, with the Parties via the Secretariat.
19.19
Decision directed to:
Parties

Parties are invited to:

a) endorse the Quadripartite’s (FAO/UNEP/WHO/WOAH) definition of the term zoonoses as “infectious diseases that can be spread between animals and humans; can be spread by food, water, fomites or vectors”.

b) take into consideration a multi-sectoral approach such as defined by the One Health High Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP) when implementing the Convention, contributing to managing, preventing and mitigating the risk of pathogen spillover and zoonotic disease emergence by:

i) ensuring live animals are being traded in accordance with Articles III, IV, V and VII, which require that living specimens are so prepared and shipped as to minimise the risk of injury, damage to health or cruel treatment, and Article VII which further requires that all living specimens, during any period of transit, holding or shipment, are properly cared for so as to minimize the risk of injury, damage to health or cruel treatment;

ii) regulating, registering, or otherwise administering captive-breeding, farming, and ranching facilities, including in accordance with Resolution Conf. 12.10 (Rev. CoP15) on Registration of operations that breed Appendix-I animal species in captivity for commercial purposes, Resolution Conf. 10.16 (Rev. CoP19) on Specimens of animal species bred in captivity, and Resolution Conf. 11.16 (Rev. CoP15) on Ranching and trade in ranched specimens of species transferred from Appendix I to Appendix II;

c) develop and strengthen synergies with appropriate national and international animal and public health authorities, taking account of relevant definitions, standards and guidance from the WHO, WOAH, FAO, UNEP and other international bodies and expert organizations as appropriate; and

d) building on such synergies, ensure that CITES Authorities, if requested, work with relevant national authorities including national WOAH and WHO focal points to develop and implement strategies that aim to identify and reduce the risk of transmission and spillover of zoonotic diseases and pathogen emergence from traded wildlife.