CMS COP11 Topics Discussed at Preparatory Workshop in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Bishkek/Bonn, 2 October 2014- The UNEP/CMS Secretariat, in conjunction with the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) of Germany and the German GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH) in the framework of the project FLERMONECA (Forest and Biodiversity Governance, including Environmental Monitoring) which is financed by the European Union as well as with funding from Switzerland, successfully completed the Central Asia regional preparatory workshop for the 11thConference of the Parties to CMS (COP11). The workshop took place in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on 26-28 September 2014.

This workshop provided for the first time the opportunity for CMS delegates from the Asian Region to prepare for the upcoming COP11 which is being held in November in Quito, Ecuador.  The primary objective was to introduce the relevant topics prior to the COP and to provide training in negotiations and protocol.

In addition to formal COP preparation, the workshop also offered  general training on negotiating tailored to CMS and on the use of other CMS capacity building instruments such as training workshops on the CMS Family Manual.  The Secretariat  provided  an overview on the information available in the latter and on the e-community web page, and went through the content of the Manual to facilitate participation of National Focal Points (NFP) in the COP cycle.  The CMS Family Manual instructs NFPs on how they can successfully meet their obligations, while the e-community establishes a forum for education and communication outside meetings.

More than 15 participants from CMS Parties; Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistanand NGOs attended the workshop. Afghanistan, which is not yet a Party to the Convention, was represented as well. Attendees debated the main topics of the COP11 agenda.  Some of the key documents discussed were: the Central Asian Mammals Initiative, proposals to amend the Appendices of the Convention, the Programme of Work on Climate Change and Migratory Birds, wildlife crime, the different options for the Budget, and the proposal of synergies in CMS family.

For more information, please do not hesitate to contact either the Capacity Building Officer: Francisco Rilla, email [email protected]or Christiane Roettger [email protected]

 

Last updated on 31 October 2014