Secretary-General's statements

Statement By the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity Working Group I: CBD 15-B (Cooperation with other conventions and international organizations) Montreal, 7 December 2022 delivered by Ms Ivonne Higuero, CITES Secretary-General Thank you, Chair

By CITES Secretary-General, Ivonne Higuero After a few days off to recover from the very busy two weeks in Panama and now moving on to the CBD Open Ended Working Group meeting on the Global Biodiversity Framework and the CBD COP15 in Montreal, I have time to reflect on the outcomes of CITES CoP19. The meeting of the ultimate decision-making body of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora ended one week ago, reaching 365 decisions and covering more than 500 species. And now each of the 2,500 people, representing more than 160 of the Parties to CITES as well as observers, have started working to make sure these decisions turn into action.

Why more countries should adopt digitalization to curb illicit trade in endangered species As the final week of the World Wildlife Conference, in Panama, gets under way, CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero and UNCTAD’s Director of Technology and Logistics Shamika N. Sirimanne are calling for wider use of digital technologies to help conserve the planet's endangered species.  

 Species Survival Network - CoP19 Side event Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Awards Wednesday 15 November 2022 – 17h15 (Canal 2 – Committee I)   Ivonne HIGUERO CITES Secretary-General Distinguished delegates, Ladies and gentlemen,

Excelencias, distinguidos delegados, señoras y señores. Bienvenidos a Panamá…bienvenidos a mi hogar, bienvenidos a la CoP de las Américas! Han pasado 20 años desde la última CoP de la CITES en este hemisferio – la CoP12 en Santiago de Chile. Esta CoP se ha organizado durante la pandemia y no ha sido fácil para el país anfitrión ni para la Secretaria hacer frente a todos los retos que ha acarreado esta situación. A pesar de todo estamos aquí congregados y estimo que es una feliz coincidencia que estemos celebrando la Conferencia Mundial de Vida Silvestre en Panamá. Reunidos aquí para hablar sobre el comercio mundial de vida silvestre en un país que conecta dos océanos y dos continentes que contienen 7 de los 17 países megadiversos y en los que el comercio era frecuente desde el Siglo XIII en las culturas olmeca, maya, azteca e inca. Practicaban el comercio por tierra y mar y me pregunto si se sorprenderían de las especies que se abordarán en esta reunión.

CITES Secretary-General, Ivonne Higuero's message to the Ramsar Wetlands Convention's CoP14 More than a third of the world’s wetlands have been lost since 1970 and the rate has been accelerating annually since the year 2000. These are some of the richest and most productive ecosystems in the world – comparable to coral reefs and rainforests.

High-Level Panel on Multilateral Trade and Environment Cooperation: Answering Crisis and Furthering Resilience Remarks of CITES Secretary-General, Ms Ivonne Higuero Geneva, 17 October 2022 It is my pleasure to be part of this high-level panel discussion which kicks off the WTO’s 3rd Trade and Environment Week.

Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Plenary, 3 July 2022, Bonn Biodiversity related MEAs statement - Ivonne Higuero, Secretary-General of CITES I am speaking on behalf of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, the International Whaling Commission and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.