3 January 2013, Male;The Maldives has acceded to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) on 12 December 2012.
CITES is an international treaty that binds its States Parties to take measures towards sustainable use of the world's fauna and flora by ensuring that species which are or could be at risk through extensive international trade are only traded to the extent permitted by their natural stocks.The treaty accords varying degrees of protection to more than thirty-four thousand species of animals and plants. The convention has been signed by over 160 nations worldwide and will come into force for the Maldives on 12 March 2013.
The Maldives is also expected to participate in the Sixteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention to be held in Bangkok, Thailand from 2-14 March 2013.
ENDS.