S. Africa most suited to host CITES conference: gov't

As the third most mega-biodiverse country in the world, South Africa is most suited to host the 17th Conference of Parties of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the government said on Wednesday.

A founding member of the CITES Treaty, South Africa is to host the conference in Johannesburg from Sept. 24 to Oct. 5.

The CITES aims to ensure that international trade in listed species of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival in the wild.

The Conference of Parties meets every three years to consider amendments to the appendices, make recommendations to improve the effectiveness of the Convention and to assess the implementation of the Convention.

This convention was adopted on March 3, 1973, and came into force on July 1, 1975.

South Africa has taken numerous leadership roles in the conservation of biodiversity at all levels by working with different partners at national, regional and global levels, the government said in a statement.

"This is one of the reasons why, at this crucial time when the Convention is faced with complex trade and conservation issues, South Africa is most suited to hosting the meeting in 2016," the statement said.

The CITES regulates international trade in over 35, 000 species of plants and animals, including their products and derivatives, ensuring their survival in the wild benefit the livelihoods of local people and the global environment.

South Africa's participation at the CITES is supported by the government's policy of sustainable utilisation of natural resources as a biodiversity conservation tool, said the statement.

"South Africa has a proud and long successful conservation record. Central to South Africa's conservation model is an undisputed record of having brought numerous species of wild plants and animals to a healthy population level," it added. Enditem