Presented during the 17h Annual Sahelo-Saharan Interest Group Meeting organized by the NGO Sahara Conservation Fund in Senegal, from 4 to 6 May 2017. The Sahara Conservation Fund (SCF) gathers every year about a hundred people who are interested in the field of Sahelo-Saharan species conservation

1. 17th Annual Sahelo-Saharan Interest Group Meeting
2 days of talks on biodiversity conservation in the Sahara and in the Sahel
CMS and the Sahelo-Saharan Action Plan, 19 years later : Moving forward
Yelizaveta PROTAS,Associate Program Officer – Convention on Migratory Species
May 4 – 6, 2017

2. CMS and the Sahelo-Saharan
Action Plan
19 Years Later:
Moving Forward

3. Structure of CMS
• International biodiversity
treaty managed by UNEP with
headquarters in Bonn,
Germany
• Aim: conservation of
transboundary wildlife
• Global scope, 124 Parties
(CMS Extended Family: +150
countries)
• Primary tools:
– Species listings (Appendix I,
II)
– Regional agreements,
Memoranda of
Understanding and Action
Plans

4. q Designation of species for Concerted Actions
q Sahelo-Saharan Action Plan (Djebra declaration 1998)
Existing CMS Tools on Sahelo-Saharan
Megafauna
q CMS Recommendation 9.2: Sahelo-Saharan
Megafauna
Adopted by the Conference of the Parties at its Ninth
Meeting (Rome, 1-5 December 2008)

5. • Adopted in 1998 by all 14 Range States under the
auspices of CMS.
• Objectives:
• Research population status of six target species;
• Restore populations and habitats;
• Reduce overhunting of species by raising awareness and
incentivizing sustainable practices in local communities.
• Enhance international cooperation, including sharing of
information and technical expertise.
The Sahelo-Saharan Action Plan
Originally included: Oryx dammah, Addax nasomaculatus, Gazella dama,
Gazella leptoceros, Gazella cuvieri, Gazella Dorcas
Added recently: Red-Fronted gazelle, Barbary sheep

6. CMS news relevant for
Sahelo-Saharan Stakeholders

7. COP12
Manila, Philippines October 23-28
Capacity building pre-COP workshop
Aimed at African COP delegates Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia; 9-11 August

8. Upcoming COP12 activities relevant for
Sahelo-Saharan Stakeholders
Species Listing Proposals:
• Lion
• Leopard
• Giraffe
• African wild ass
Resolutions:
• Adoption of Vultures Action Plan
• Resolution on Cultural Values and Conservation
• Resolution on Community-Based Conservation
• Resolution on Trophy hunting
• Carnivore Initiative: a Special Initiative being
developed for African carnivores (lion, leopard,
wild dog, cheetah)

9. • Mapping migration routes and barriers to migration
• Italian Government committed 1M euros to develop
an Atlas of bird migration (African Eurasian region)
• Crucial to extend to land mammals
Migration Atlas: Mapping
Migration Routes

10. CMS Activities: Multi-species Action Plan to
conserve African-Eurasian Vultures
• Developed from CMS Resolution 11.14: Programme of Work on
Migratory Birds and Flyways.
• Goal to bring together Range State representatives, partners,
and interested parties, to develop an Action Plan for COP12.
• Action Plan to cover whole geographic ranges of 15 Old
World vulture species across ~124 Range States.
• Objectives include:
• Reverse vulture population decline;
• Restore favourable conservation status; and
• Provide conservation management guidelines to Range
States.
CMS Abu Dhabi Office, coordinated by Mr. Nick Williams

11. CMS Activities: Action Plan for Migratory
Landbirds in the African-Eurasian Region
• Adopted in CMS Resolution 11.17.
• Aim: to improve conservation status of 504 migratory
landbird species in the African-Eurasian region through a
strategic framework for international action.
• Scope:
• Monitor population trends and conduct other research.
• Raise awareness of conservation issues
regarding African-Eurasian migrant
landbirds.
• Exchange information on conservation
and management practices.
• Promote sustainable land management
policies and practices.

12. What’s next?
Possible meetings:
• Side-event at COP12:
Good venue to discuss future cooperation and bring together
representatives of Range States and donor states
• Addax extinction crisis:
CMS is in a position to help convene meetings as necessary,
add our voice to fundraising efforts
• Range State Meeting (likely 2018)
Update the Action Plan, take score of current situation, and
re-commit to the Sahelo-Saharan Antelope conservation

13. Thank You!