Secretary-General's statements

Wildlife Inter-Regional Enforcement (WIRE) 2021 & Debriefing of Operation Mekong Dragon III Address by Ivonne Higuero, Secretary-General of CITES 30 November 2021   Distinguished colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, It is such an honour for me to address you today, an audience of committed law enforcement and justice officials from Africa, Asia and Oceania. The spirit of collaboration embodied in the Wildlife Inter-Regional Enforcement initiative is precisely what we need to strengthen our collective resolve in the struggle against wildlife crime. This forum provides a wonderful opportunity to discuss your excellent work to enhance cooperation along the entire criminal justice chain. And to further strengthen and expand this collaboration.

Sustainable use: a powerful tool to ensure the conservation of species of wild fauna and flora, a presentation by CITES S-G I. Higuero   During a virtual session of the Reverse the Red Pavilion at IUCN's World Conservation Congress (Marseille, September 3 - 11, 2021), CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero spoke about sustainable use of wildlife as a powerful tool to support species conservation. Watch her full presentation below:

2021 World Elephant Day: From Conflict to Coexistence - Remarks of CITES S-G I. Higuero Happy World Elephant Day! For those of you who are hearing for the first time about the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora a - or CITES - , it is a legally binding, multilateral agreement that sets rules for international trade in wildlife. The Convention regulates international trade in more than 38,000 species of wild animals and plants, including their parts and derivatives. Its purpose is to ensure that this trade is legal, sustainable, and traceable.

International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples: Message from CITES Secretary-General, Ivonne Higuero Indigenous peoples and local communities are among the most active groups engaged in conserving and caring for much of our planet’s wildlife and ecosystems. Members of these groups rely on these spaces to meet their basic needs, from food, to shelter, to fuel and medicines. Over their long histories, many Indigenous groups have lived in good harmony with their environments.

World Ranger Day 2021 Message from CITES Secretary-General, Ivonne Higuero 31 July 2021                                                                                            ©UNEP World Ranger Day is a time to pause, reflect and show our gratitude for the dedication and sacrifice of some of nature’s most devote custodians.

25th meeting of the CITES Plants Committee: Closing remarks of Secretary-General, Ivonne Higuero   Madame Chair of the Plants Committee, Members of the Plants Committee, Distinguished delegates and participants, Congratulations on the successful first online meeting of the Plants Committee! The circumstances in which we have had to organize this meeting are truly historical. The successful achievement of the shared goals for this meeting during these difficult times is the strongest indicator of your dedication to the Convention and commitment to ensure that international trade of wild plants does not threaten their survival.

31st meeting of the Animals Committee: Closing remarks of CITES Secretary-General, Ivonne Higuero   Mr. Chair of the Animals Committee, Members of the Animals Committee, Distinguished delegates and participants, Dear colleagues, Congratulations on the successful meeting of the Animals Committee! This has been a remarkable meeting with an ambitious agenda, and it has been an honour to witness the results of the hard work of the Committee throughout the last few weeks.

Second Joint session of the 31st meeting of the Animals Committee and 25th meeting of the Plants Committee: Closing remarks of Secretary General, Ivonne Higuero   Madame Chair of the Plants Committee, Mister Chair of the Animals Committee Members of the Animals and Plants Committees, Distinguished delegates and participants, Dear colleagues, It was a real pleasure to witness this first joint online session of the Animals and Plants Committees, and I warmly congratulate you all for having so successfully completed its business.