CITES Secretariat

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Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
www.CITES.org
The CITES Secretariat

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CITES Secretariat
• The CITES Secretariat is administered by UNEP and
is located at Geneva, Switzerland
• It has a pivotal role, fundamental to the Convention,
and its functions are laid down in Article XII of the text
of the Convention

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CITES Secretariat
• These functions include:
– playing a coordinating, advisory and servicing role
in the working of the Convention
– assisting with communication and monitoring the
implementation of the Convention to ensure that
its provisions are respected
– arranging meetings of the Conference of the
Parties and of the permanent Committees at
regular intervals and servicing those meetings
– providing assistance in the fields of legislation,
enforcement, science and training

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CITES Secretariat
– undertaking, under agreed programmes,
occasional scientific and technical studies into
issues affecting the implementation of the
Convention
– making recommendations regarding the
implementation of the Convention
– acting as the repository for the reports, sample
permits and other information submitted by the
Parties
– distributing information relevant to
several or all Parties

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CITES Secretariat
– issuing new editions of Appendices I, II and III,
whenever there is a change, as well as of the
Resolutions and Decisions adopted by the
Conference of the Parties at its meetings, and
information to assist identification
of species listed in the Appendices
– preparing annual reports to the
Parties on its own work and on
the implementation of the
Convention

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CITES Secretariat
• Secretary-General’s Office
– Secretary-General
Finances and Administration
Resource Mobilization
Legal Affairs and Trade Policy Support
• Functional Units
– Enforcement Assistance Unit
– Management Authority and Convention Support Unit
– Scientific Support Unit
– Capacity Building Unit (and MIKE Central
Coordinating Unit)

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CITES Secretariat

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Staffing of the Secretariat

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Costed Programme of Work
• In Resolution Conf. 14.1 on Financing and the Costed
Programme of Work for the Secretariat for the
triennium 2009-2011, the CoP decided that this CPW
should be covered by contributions from the Parties
for the amounts of USD 4,904,991 for 2009, USD
5,426,937 for 2010 and USD 5,150,247 for 2011
• The Secretariat was instructed to develop a CPW
based on the Strategic Vision, taking into account
available staffing resources and financial means
• The CPW was agreed by the Standing Committee,
on advice from its Finance and Budget Subcommittee

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CITES Secretariat
Geneva