Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates is participating in the Fourteenth Conference of the Parties (COP14), which is being held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
The delegation from the Emirates is led by Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary-General of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD). Included in the group are officials from important government agencies as well as representatives from the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MoCCAE).
Under the theme “Nature Knows No Boundaries,” the 14th Meeting of the Parties to the Convention will emphasize the difficulties faced by migratory species and the necessity of bolstering global cooperation to address them. The conference’s theme, which tackles issues like habitat conservation and threats like overexploitation and the climate crisis, is in line with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The conference underscores the necessity of cross-border, global action to ensure the survival of these species, with Ministers and Executive Directors from international organizations sharing their experiences in the field of migratory species conservation.
On the sidelines of the meeting, EAD signed an agreement to extend its partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to host and support the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) – Abu Dhabi office. Dr. Shaikha and Amy Frankel, Executive Secretary, the Convention on Migratory Species, signed the agreement in Samarkand.
Speaking at the High-level Segment of the COP14 Meeting, Dr. Shaikha said that, “We strongly believe in partnerships and collaborations, and our long-standing partnership with the Convention on Migratory Species to conserve migratory birds of prey and dugongs under two MoUs is a testament to that.
“The UAE has supported the conservation of migratory species since 2009, via its decision to host the Convention on Migratory Species – Abu Dhabi Office. This support has enabled the Convention on Migratory Species to implement action plans under the MoUs to promote conservation of migratory birds of prey and dugongs,” Dr. Shaikha added.