Aligning species protection and sustainable use: ITTO voices support at CITES COP20

At a side event organized by CITES and Mexico’s CONABIO, ITTO Director of Trade & Industry Mohammed Nurudeen Iddrisu noted that the “very high complementarities” from ITTO’s capacity building and conservation efforts reinforce CITES species-specific objectives. © Kanako Ishii/ITTO

The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO)’s Director of Trade and Industry, Mohammed Nurudeen Iddrisu, underscored the importance of strong collaboration between ITTO and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) during the 20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (COP20), held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

On 25 November, Dr Iddrisu represented ITTO at a side event organized by CITES and Mexico’s CONABIO (Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad), focusing on the “CITES and Forests” Initiative. The event brought together key multilateral partners, including the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), to discuss the findings of an interdisciplinary study examining synergies between CITES and forest-related organizations.

In Dr Iddrisu’s intervention, he noted that the study recognizes ITTO as the partner most aligned with CITES efforts, particularly due to ITTO’s focus on sustainable forest management, policy and compliance frameworks, and support for legal, traceable and sustainable trade in tropical timber. “We have also seen very high complementarities emerge in capacity building and conservation,” he stated. The ITTO approach is ecosystem-based and it reinforces CITES species-specific objectives.”

He referenced longstanding cooperation through the ITTO–CITES Programme implemented from 2007 to 2016, which supported the development of Non-Detriment Findings (NDFs), strengthened timber identification and reinforced compliance and market transparency. He also focused on successful efforts by the ITTO in the CITES Tree Species Programme from 2017 to 2022, which improved forest governance, contributed to rural livelihoods and helped ensure that trade in CITES-listed species is legal and sustainable, all of which is fully aligned with the ITTO’s mandate.

Dr Iddrisu noted that ITTO is committed to continuing this work and plans to report progress to Parties intersessionally and at the next CITES COP21, especially in relation to ongoing projects supporting the sustainable management of CITES-listed tropical tree species. 

“ITTO members represent 80% of tropical forests and 90% of trade in tropical forest resources. With this, CITES and ITTO remain natural allies to bring service to parties, Dr Iddrisu stressed.

“We hereby request donors to continue to support CITES and ITTO to continue to work together, given the fact that tree species listings continue to grow,” he added.

Supporting sustainable decision-making on tropical tree species

During plenary discussions on Proposal 47, submitted by the Congo Basin countries to remove Pterocarpus soyauxii from CITES Appendix II, ITTO intervened in support of the proposal, citing scientific evidence from the proponents and ITTO-supported research. Although the proposal did not achieve the required two-thirds majority, ITTO emphasized the importance of sound science in shaping CITES listings and trade controls.

ITTO will continue engaging throughout COP20 to ensure that trade measures are well-informed, balanced and supportive of sustainable tropical forest management. Outcomes from the conference will feed into ITTO’s programme of work and further strengthen the partnership with CITES ahead of its next governing body meetings.