Bonn, 29 November 2010 - The 37th Meeting of the CMS Standing Committee was opened by the Chair, Mohammad Saud A. Sulayem, followed by welcoming addresses by Dr. Elsa Nickel from the Host Government and CMS Executive Secretary Elizabeth Maruma Mrema.  33 participants including 12 members of the Standing Committee attended the meeting.

When reporting on recruitment of Parties, the Secretariat reported that in addition to the accessions of Ethiopia and Equatorial Guinea this year, other countries are currently in the process of becoming Parties to CMS.

The current Strategic Plan will be extended to 2014 and a new one will be developed for the period 2015 – 2020. Delegates agreed on how the Secretariat should proceed with conservation instruments under development. The Shark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which was concluded in February 2010 aims to win more signatories and convene a first meeting in 2011. The conclusion of the Houbara Bustard Agreement might be imminent. Any new MoU on Central African Elephants would not be merged with the existing Western African Elephants MoU since conservation needs were completely different.  The Central Asian Flyway covers 30 countries of North, Central and South Asia and Trans-Caucasus. Its northern catchment area of CAF overlaps with the one of AEWA. Therefore it would be advisable to integrate it into the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement.

During the meeting, the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) and RWE Rhein-Ruhr Netzservice, one of the largest energy companies in Europe, signed a historic Cooperation Agreement to tackle threats to migratory birds. RWE will support an independent review and the development of guidelines to help avoid conflict between migratory birds and electricity power grids in the African-Eurasian region.

Green light was given to the further progress to conclude phase II and start phase III of the Future Shape process.  Phase III focuses on the development of three options for the future organization of the Convention to be determined at COP10 next year.

In his presentation, the Chair of the Scientific Council Working Group on Global Flyways, Dr. Taej Mundkur, described how to address threats to migratory birds, which needed to be integrated into the work programme at COP10. Among the 3 options available, he singled out global coordination and streamlining as the only way forward.

The Secretariat reported that the review on taxonomic groups completed in the case for birds. Other reviews were going to be continued and presented to the COP. UNEP stated that $200,00 could be made available for this work and for capacity building initiatives.

Initial discussion was held on three draft resolutions on marine debris, ecological networks and response to emergencies. They will be further examined and need to be formally submitted at COP10.

Regarding Secretariat manpower, the Secretariat gave an account on the recruitment of staff. The posts of Scientific and Technical Officer, Associate Scientific Officer, Associate Fundraising Officer and ASCOBANS Coordinator had been filled this year. In October a new Junior Professional Officer came on board, while the recruitment of the Deputy Executive Secretary is still pending.

Delegates endorsed a paper on CMS Campaigns, CMS Ambassadors and other honorary roles and awards presented by the Secretariat. It included detailed selection criteria and terms of reference for Ambassadors and Champions. The Secretariat has been requested to report on activities undertaken so far at the next meeting of the Standing Committee.

Øystein Størkersen, focal point for Norway, who had attended the first days of the Tiger Summit in St. Petersburg, gave an update on this high level species conference. Then he delivered a presentation on the venue of the next COP in Bergen, including dates and meetings.

Terms of reference were discussed for the Standing Committee, national focal points and CMS Ambassadors with regard to the organization of COP10 to increase efficiency and improve communication among those involved.

The 38th CMS Standing Committee will be held in November 2011 in Bergen immediately before the COP.