In response to serious problems with far-reaching international consequences and the potential to have severe impacts on the conservation of migratory species, the Convention has from time to time established Task Forces in conjunction with regular partners and other stakeholders. Their remit is strongly focused on a specific issue and their membership - when they are not specifically designated as Intergovernmental Task Forces - often extends beyond the Convention’s normal constituency to take in expertise and promote synergies and collaboration with other sectors.

The Task Force has been established under CMS COP Resolution 11.16 on the illegal killing, taking and trade of migratory birds to facilitate international cooperation as well as the implementation of the existing guidelines and action plans in particular the Tunis Action Plan 2013-2020 for the Eradication of Illegal Killing, Trapping and Trade of Wild Birds. It will also consider whether any new guidelines, action plans or other recommendations to respond to specific problems are necessary. Moreover, it will enable the exchange of information, training and education, law enforcement, deterrence and prevention to reduce the mortality rate among migratory birds.

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The Energy Task Force is a multi-stakeholder platform that works towards reconciling renewable energy developments with conservation of migratory species. The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) recognized that there is a need to mainstream conservation of migratory species across the energy sector and to this end adopted the  Resolution 11.27 (Rev. COP13) Renewable Energy and Migratory Species and an analogous Resolution was adopted by AEWA Resolution 6.11. To further support the implementation of the resolutions and the use of relevant guidelines, CMS established a multi-stakeholder initiative, the Energy Task Force.

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In August 2005, concerns about the role of migratory birds as potential vectors of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus subtype H5N1 led the UNEP Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), in close cooperation with the Agreement on the Conservation of African Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA), to establish a Scientific Task Force on Avian Influenza and Wild Birds.

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The Saker Falcon Task Force (STF) was established at CMS COP10 and developed a coordinated Global Action Plan to conserve the Saker Falcon, a CMS Appendix I listed species. CMS COP11 adopted the SakerGAP in 2014 (CMS Resolution 11.18 (Rev.COP12)) with the aim to implement it over a ten-year period (2015 – 2024). The STF brings together Range States, partners and other interested parties to facilitate the SakerGAP’s implementation and foster collaboration between stakeholders.

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The Intergovernmental Task Force to Address Illegal Hunting, Taking and Trade of Migratory Birds in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (ITTEA) was established in line with the mandate provided by the Resolution 11.16 (Rev.COP12), entitled “The Prevention of Illegal Killing, Taking and Trade of Migratory Birds” to assist the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and its associated instruments, relevant MEAs and Conventions to fulfil their obligations to protect migratory birds from illegal hunting, taking and trade.

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