The agreement was signed by Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change Aziz Abdukhakimov and Secretary General of CITES Ivonne Higuero during the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD CoP16), held in Cali, Colombia.

"Signing the Host Country Agreement during CBD CoP16 emphasizes the importance of collaboration in tackling biodiversity loss and illegal wildlife trade. We are excited to welcome the international community to Samarkand for CoP20 in 2025, where we will unite our efforts in safeguarding our planet's rich biological heritage", said A. Abdukhakimov.

In turn, I. Higuero expressed gratitude for Uzbekistan's proposal to hold CITES COP20 in the historical city of Samarkand, noting the following: "Hosting CITES CoP20 in this ancient city brings both a sense of history and a vision of the future—a future of Peace with Nature, in which international trade in wild species is well-regulated, the challenges associated with wildlife crime are significantly diminished, and CITES-listed species are able to thrive in nature".

It is worth noting that Uzbekistan is the first country in Central Asia to host a meeting of 184 Parties (183 countries + The European Union) to CITES and and the wide array of wildlife conservation and trade stakeholders.  More than 4,000 participants and delegates are expected to attend the global event, which will be organized in the "Year of Environmental Protection and the "Green" Economy".

COP20 will provide an opportunity for CITES Parties to engage in important discussions related to the sustainability, legality, and traceability of international wildlife trade, species conservation, and sustainable resource management. In addition, the 20th anniversary meeting of CITES COP20 in 2025 will coincide with the 50th anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention in 1975. 

For information: The CITES Convention was signed on 3 March 1973 and entered into force on 1 July 1975. The Convention remains one of the world's most powerful tools for wildlife conservation through the regulation of international trade in over 40,900 species of wild animals and plants. Uzbekistan, which is home to a wide range of species included in the CITES list, has been a party to the Convention since 1997.