Following concerns of the continued and intensified illegal hunting, taking, and trade of migratory birds leading to significant population declines, the CMS Parties responded by enhancing focus on practical responses and cooperative frameworks for preventing and prosecuting further these illegal activities, which cause unsustainable levels of exploitation. Building on existing regional efforts for addressing the illegal hunting, taking, and trade of migratory birds, Resolutions were adopted at the 12^th and the 13^th meetings of the Conference of the Parties to CMS, held in Manila in 2017 (COP12), and in Gandhinagar, India, in 2020 (COP13).

 In October 2021, the Secretariat of the CMS supported a workshop in Jordan with the objective of developing a road map to tackle IKB in South-West Asia. The meeting concluded that an action plan to eradicate illegal taking and trade was necessary for the region. This responds to the mandate of the COP13 to the Secretariat through Resolution 11.16 (Rev.COP13) “to support efforts to address IKB elsewhere in the world, including through the organization of workshops”.

Following this in-person meeting, an online meeting in February 2022 was held to revise the first comments to the workplan, and in June 2022 a second draft was produced.  

Objectives of the meeting 

The meeting will provide an opportunity for all working group members and representatives of all range states (Bahrain, Iraq, Islamic Republic of Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen) to: 

1. Discuss the current CMS Mandate and initiatives occurring in the region on the illegal hunting, taking and trade of migratory birds.

2. Discuss the next-steps needed to officially launch a new CMS Task Force against the Illegal Hunting, Taking and Trade of Migratory Birds in South-West Asia, following on the successful models of MIKT and the Asia-Pacific Task Forces.  

3. Discuss a draft Terms of Reference (TOR) and Modus Operandi for that Task Force 

4. Revise the latest version of the Action Plan against illegal hunting in the region.

5. Agree on next steps towards the 14^th Meeting of the CMS Conference of the Parties (CMS COP14).