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Joint CITES-CMS African Carnivores Initiative

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Table of Contents

  1. Preamble
  2. Paragraph 1.
  3. Paragraph 2.
  6. Paragraph 5.
  7. Paragraph 6.
  8. Paragraph 7.
  9. Paragraph 8.

Joint CITES-CMS African Carnivores Initiative

Recognizing that the African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus), Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), Leopard (Panthera pardus) and Lion (Panthera leo) should be conserved for future generations as these species constitute common heritage and are part of the identity of the African continent,Concerned by the Red List Assessments of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), showing that populations of African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus) (2012), Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) (2015), Leopard (Panthera pardus) (2016) and Lion (Panthera leo) (2016) are in decline in most of their range in Africa,Acknowledging that the African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus), Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), Leopard (Panthera pardus) and Lion (Panthera leo) share common threats and pressures, including habitat loss and fragmentation, conflict with humans, depletion of the prey base, and unsustainable or illegal utilization practices, which require urgent attention and can be addressed jointly for all four species,Recalling Resolution Conf. 13.3 on Cooperation and synergy with the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES),Also recalling CMS Resolution 11.10 (Rev.COP12) Synergies and Partnerships, stressing "the importance of supporting the objectives of biodiversity-related multilateral environmental agreements to improve national collaboration, communication and coordination with relevant organizations and processes",Recognizing the importance of the collaboration between African carnivore Range States, CITES, CMS and IUCN to undertake effective conservation actions in favour of the four carnivore species,Reaffirming the recommendation of the First Meeting of the Range States to the Joint CITES-CMS African Carnivores Initiative that "addressing the threats to African carnivores requires the long-term commitment of Range States and the international community". The Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals
1.Recognizes the Joint CITES-CMS African Carnivores Initiative (the Initiative) as a framework to build more coherence in the work that CMS and CITES, in cooperation with IUCN, CMS partner organizations and other stakeholders as appropriate, are devoting to the African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus), Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), Leopard (Panthera pardus) and Lion (Panthera leo);
2.Agrees that the objectives of the Initiative are to enhance the conservation, restoration and management of the African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus), Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), Leopard (Panthera pardus) and Lion (Panthera leo), as well as their habitats and prey, by strengthening coordination and cooperation across the species’ ranges in Africa, and taking into consideration the needs and livelihoods of local communities living with the four carnivores;
3.Recognizes that the Initiative is an instrument to:
a)avoid duplicative activities and associated costs;
b)generate resources;
c)pool funds and expertise;
d)deploy effective and equitable measures amongst the four species;
e)apply holistic conservation approaches;
f)organize the collaboration with other conservation initiatives and organizations; and
g)create opportunities for donors to allocate resources to well-coordinated and internationally recognized conservation actions.
4.Agrees that the Initiative should focus on:
a)developing and implementing conservation strategies for each of the four African carnivore species, which address all threats to their survival;
b)taking measures that allow and secure connectivity between populations of the four African carnivores;
c)promoting the coexistence of local communities and the four carnivores in landscapes where they occur;
d)promoting innovative approaches that deliver sustainable benefits to the local communities that pay the costs of living alongside the four species;
e)developing the capacity of Range States to conserve and manage, as well as monitor, populations of the four African carnivore species;
f)improving education and awareness on the plight of African carnivores; and
g)enhancing and facilitating communication and information sharing between the African Range States of the four carnivores;
h)taking steps to eliminate the poisoning of African carnivores;
5.Agrees that the Initiative should be implemented through a Programme of Work that will provide concrete, coordinated and synergistic conservation activities for all four species across their range, and be amended or adapted, as required;
6.Requests the Secretariat to convene regular Range State meetings in cooperation with the Secretariat of CITES to assess the implementation of the Programme of Work, revise the Programme of Work as necessary, and monitor the functionality of the Initiative;
7.Encourages Parties, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and donors to contribute to the objectives of the Initiative, and to support the Initiative through financial and technical resources; and
8.Requests the Secretariat to report on the implementation of this Resolution to each meeting of the Conference of the Parties, as appropriate.