Secretary-General's statements

World Ranger Day 2016 Message from CITES Secretary-General, John E. Scanlon 31 July 2016 World Ranger Day honours park rangers across the world who have been injured or lost their lives in the line of duty, and also celebrates the role rangers play in protecting our natural resources, including wild animals and plants.  The challenges and risks that rangers face have increased significantly in recent years due to the surge in the poaching of and illicit trafficking in wildlife, particularly of some of the world’s most iconic species such as elephants and rhinos. Illegal trade in wildlife is occurring at a scale that threatens wildlife, people and their livelihoods and it is being driven by transnational organized crime groups, rebel militia groups and, on rare occasions, rogue elements of regular military forces.

Keynote Remarks Caribbean Regional Wildlife Enforcement Workshop John E. Scanlon, CITES Secretary General Bahamas, 20- 22 July 2016   The Hon. Kenred Dorsett, Minister of Environment of the Bahamas Her Excellency, Lisa Johnson, Chargé d’Affaires to the Bahamas from the United States of America Mr. Amado Philip de Andrés, Regional Representative for Central America and the Caribbean, UNODC

Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking Symposium June 28 & 29, 2016, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Allder Auditorium, Springfield, Virginia, U.S.A. Keynote Address by John E. Scanlon CITES Secretary-General ‘CITES and tackling wildlife trafficking and CITES CoP 17’   Members of the United States Government, the Intelligence Community, representatives of NGOs, academia and industry, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

Special High-level event and Launch of the first “World Wildlife Crime” Report UN Headquarters New York, 6 June 2016 Remarks by John E. Scanlon Secretary-General CITES   H.E. Mogens Lykketoft, President of the General Assembly H. E. Ambassador Harald Braun, Permanent Representative of Germany to the UN  Mr. Yury Fedotov, Executive Director, UNODC Mr. Edmond Mulet, Chef de Cabinet to the UN Secretary-General Professor Lee White, Director Gabonese National Parks Service Dr. Cristián Samper, President of the Wildlife Conservation Society Ms. Famke Janssen, Actress and Humanitarian and UNODC Goodwill Ambassador for Integrity  Distinguished Delegates, ladies and gentlemen -----

Angola – World Environment Day 2016 Message from John E Scanlon, CITES Secretary-General 5 June 2016   His Excellency José Eduardo dos Santos,President of the Republic of Angola Honourable Maria de Fátima Jardim, Minister for Environment Honourable Pedro Mutindi,Governor of the Province of Kuando Kubango Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax, SADC Executive Secretary Mr Achim Steiner UNEP Executive Director Distinguished Guests, ladies and gentlemen All protocols observed  

German Bundestag (Federal Diet) Public discussion with experts on “the wildlife trade” including on “Combating poaching and the illegal wildlife trade” Committee on the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety Marie-Elisabeth-Luders Building, Berlin Opening Remarks by John E. Scanlon Cites Secretary-General   Honorable Committee Chair Distinguished Committee members Thank you for the invitation to participate in this public discussion on a topic that has for good reason captured significant political and public attention.

        Joint Statement by John E. Scanlon, Secretary-General of CITES and Bradnee Chambers, Executive Secretary of CMS   Distinguished delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is with great pleasure that we welcome you to this very important and timely meeting. Firstly, let us express our most sincere thanks to H.E. Ms. Maria Mutagamba, Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities of Uganda, for hosting this meeting and for investing her time and energy into this process.

Message from CITES Secretary-General John E. Scanlon   Illicit wildlife trafficking is driving some of the world’s most iconic animals and plants towards extinction, as well as some species you may never have heard of. It is also threatening our own personal well-being, the livelihoods of local communities living amongst wildlife and, in some cases, even national economies and security.