The eighth Conference of the Parties (COP-8) to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) opened on Sunday afternoon, 20 November 2005, in Nairobi, Kenya. Following a children's music performance, delegates heard opening statements, and attended the CMS Thesis Award ceremony, the presentation of the "Friends of CMS," and the CMS Partnership Fair. COP-8 will convene until 25 November, with the theme "On the Move to 2010."
Plenary elected Patrick Van Klaveren (Monaco) as COP-8 Chair, Rolph Payet (Seychelles) as Chair of the Committee of the Whole (COW) and COP-8 Vice-Chair, and Roberto Schlatter (Chile) as COW Vice-Chair. Latvia, Niger, Peru, Morocco, and Australia were appointed as members of the Credentials Committee.
COW
Press Conference
During a midday press conference, above, the CMS Secretariat explained the legal and practical implications of Appendix I and II listings, and outlined actions undertaken with a focus on Africa. Wetlands International and Birdlife International stressed the crucial role that CMS can play in the debate on avian influenza, saying CMS should feed ecological knowledge into the FAO- and WHO-dominated discussions.
CMS COP-8 Concludes Successfully
On Friday, 25 November, at the eighth Conference of the Parties (COP-8) to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), the Committee of the Whole (COW) convened in the morning to endorse outstanding resolutions and recommendations. Delegates met in plenary to consider the possible listing of the Gorilla on Appendix II, principles for the expansion of agreements, and the 2010 target. The plenary also adopted outstanding resolutions and recommendations, and heard closing statements about the successful outcome of COP-8. Chair Patrick van Klaveren declared the meeting closed at 5.29 pm. Above: CMS Executive Secretary Robert Hepworth gave Vice-Chair Rolph Payet, Seychelles, and Chair van Klaveren bottles of Danzig Goldwasser liqueur from Germany in appreciation for their work.
