Berlin, 21 June 2002 The Executive Secretary of CMS was invited to an extraordinary meeting convened in Berlin on 21 June 2002 by the Ambassadors of the countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in Germany. The Executive Secretary gave a briefing on the aims, instruments and main achievements of the Convention with focus on Africa as a priority area for CMS.

With a view to the forthcoming 7th Conference of the Parties (COP) to CMS and 2nd Meeting of the Parties (MOP) to the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) in September in Bonn, Germany, he invited the ambassadors to forward the invitation of the Parties to both CMS and AEWA as well as the German Government -- host of the meetings -- to participate and contribute as Parties.

The Ambassadors noted with satisfaction the linkage between the SADC and CMS objectives and recognized the relative importance of concerted efforts in conservation measures. Aware of serious threats to certain wild life species and linkages to poverty trap, they welcomed close collaboration between the SADC and CMS Secretariats; they endorsed the intervention of SADC Secretariat which is aimed at facilitating and co-ordinating the recruitment of non- Parties and invited the Secretariat to visit the region to disseminate information on conservation efforts in countries with geographic affinities.