2025/006: Call for Additional Members and Observers of the Intersessional Working Group on the Samarkand Strategic Plan on Migratory Species

CMS Decision 14.2 requests the Standing Committee to continue the work of the Intersessional Working Group on the Samarkand Strategic Plan for Migratory Species (IWG SPMS), tasked with developing the baselines, indicators and actions needed to implement the SPMS and achieve its goals and targets, as well as agreeing on a new template for National Reports, aligned to the SPMS.  The Standing Committee is also asked to provide advice on the implementation of the SPMS for the CMS Programme of Work, to better align it with the SPMS and its priorities.

Decision 14.3 requests the Scientific Council to provide scientific advice on: the actions needed to implement the SPMS and achieve its goals and targets; and baselines and indicators of the SPMS with a scientific component. It also asks the Scientific Council to provide advice on a monitoring framework to assess progress against the indicators and guidance for the elaboration of a new template for National Reports.

The Standing Committee has established an IWG for this purpose, and the membership and terms of reference were approved at its first meeting on 23 January 2025.  Currently, there are 8 members of the IWG.  The Secretariat encourages members of the Standing Committee and of the Scientific Council's Sessional Committee to participate in this IWG as members. Representatives of Parties not members of the Standing Committee, Scientific Councilors not members of the Sessional Committee, and stakeholder organizations are also invited to participate as observers.

This is a very important process for the strategic focus of the Convention as it will shape its work for the 2024-2032 period. We look forward to having more members and observers joining this group.

Please send an email to [email protected] to confirm your interest before the 14th of February 2025.