Following consultation with the CMS Standing Committee in February CMS Executive Secretary Rob Hepworth has put in hand the organisation of the next COP at UNEP Headquarters Gigiri, Nairobi. The venue offers excellent facilities for plenary and side meetings. The Secretariat calls on each Party to prepare a poster about its role in the Convention to be displayed in a special conference exhibition. Guidelines on the format of posters will be circulated in due course.

The CMS Thesis Award launched by the Secretariat of the Bonn Convention on Migratory Species at its 25th Anniversary in 2004 will be offered for the first time at the next COP. It contributes to promoting scientific research and conservation of migratory species.

The time slot of 16-25 November for COP and its related events will enable delegates attending the Conference of the Parties of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands to travel from Kampala to Nairobi when the conference concludes on 15 November. This will help to reduce travel costs and develop closer synergies between CMS and Ramsar through back-to-back meetings.

The date of the 8th Meeting of the COP in November sets another deadline for the Parties to transmit their National Reports by 20 May according to the National Report formats distributed in early February. Parties are also requested to submit amendment proposals, including proposals for the listing of new species. These must be received by the Secretariat no later than 150 days before the COP, i.e. by 20 June 2005.

The 13th Meeting of the CMS Scientific Council that precedes the COP (16-18 November) will review and assess the conservation status of migratory species and the progress made towards their conservation.

The next CMS Standing Committee Meeting will take place on 21-22 April 2005 in Bonn. (Provisional Agenda) In addition to the countries currently comprising the Standing Committee, Parties are welcome to attend as observers at their own cost.