CITE's committee praises UAE's efforts to protect endangered species

DUBAI, 20th January 2016 (WAM) --- The Standing Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora praised the UAE's efforts in protecting endangered species and cited the destruction last year of tonnes of elephant ivory seized from smugglers. This came during the CITES Standing Committee's 66th meeting, held between 11th-15th January in Geneva, Switzerland. The committee said the destruction of the illegal raw and crafted ivory stockpile in cooperation with the Interpol serves as a model for other countries. The UAE was represented to the meeting by the Ministry of Environment and Water and Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi. The country's participation is in line with the UAE Vision 2021 and the national biodiversity strategy. The UAE signed CITES in 1990 under Federal Decree No. 86 of 1989. Federal Law No. 11 of 2002 was also issued to guarantee the application of the convention in the country. Since then, the UAE has sought to regulate the trade in wildlife through the issuance of entry and exit certificates of these species and tightening control over transit trips. The Geneva meeting of the world’s wildlife trade regulator attracted close to 500 participants from across the globe to tackle crucial wildlife conservation and management issues affecting the survival of a myriad of wild plants and animals. – Emirates News Agency, WAM - http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395290523700.html