Conservation of and trade in great apes (Hominidae spp.)

Decision directed to Secretariat

The Secretariat shall: a) seek information from Parties on their implementation of Decision 20.77; b) in consultation with range States and the Chair of the Standing Committee, draft Terms of Reference and modus operandi for a CITES Great Ape Enforcement Task Force and submit them to the 81st meeting of the Standing Committee for review and feedback. The Task Force will focus on specific challenges with enforcement in combating the illegal international trade in live great apes, which includes inter alia: i) address mistaken or falsely applied source codes for great apes in CITES trade, and identify opportunities to clarify, train, or engage Parties on proper and consistent application and verification of source codes, to better implement paragraph 1 g) of Resolution Conf. 13.4 (Rev. CoP18) on Conservation of and trade in great apes; and ii) discuss the proper placement of confiscated live great apes, to ensure the best action in support of conservation and humane treatment; c) subject to external funding, re-establish and convene the CITES Great Ape Enforcement Task Force (Task Force), in line with Resolution Conf. 11.3 (Rev.CoP20) on Compliance and enforcement and the terms of reference and modus operandi decided by the Standing Committee at its 81st meeting; d) subject to external funding, work with partners of the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) to, as appropriate, provide technical assistance and support to Parties affected by illegal trade in great apes, including by promoting and facilitating collaboration and communication between source, transit, and destination countries; and e) report on the implementation of Decision 20.79, paragraphs a) to d), in its report to the Standing Committee in accordance with paragraph 2. e) of Resolution Conf.13.4 (Rev.CoP18).