Egypt CHM. - CBD Cross-cutting issues

Cites Convention

- Annually, international wildlife trade is estimated to be worth billions of dollars and to include hundreds of millions of plant and animal specimens. The trade is diverse, ranging from live animals and plants to a vast array of wildlife products derived from them. An annual import value approaching US$160 billion has been estimated for all wildlife products, including wild-sourced timber and fish products, in the early 1990s (TRAFFIC, 2003). Levels of exploitation of some animal and plant species are high and the trade in them, together with other factors, such as habitat loss, is capable of heavily depleting their populations and even bringing some species close to extinction. Many wildlife species in trade are not endangered, but the existence of an agreement to ensure the sustainability of the trade is important in order to safeguard these resources for the future. Since the trade in wild animals and plants crosses borders between countries, the effort to regulate it requires international cooperation to safeguard certain species from over-exploitation.

- The Convention on Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES or the Washington Convention) was adopted in Washington DC, United States of America in March 1973 and entered into force in July 1975. CITES aims to regulate international trade in species which are endangered or which may become endangered if their exploitation is not controlled. Species covered under CITES are listed in three Appendices, according to the level of protection they need. Each Contracting Party to the Convention designates a Management Authority which issues import and export permits for CITES-listed species, based on advice from one or more Scientific Authorities. As of March 2005 there were 167 Contracting Parties to the Convention.

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