U.S. Embassy Sponsors Regional Wildlife Conservation Workshop in Muscat
March 21, 2009

Muscat--The U.S. Embassy in Muscat, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service, opened today a wildlife trade workshop for government officials from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs and from counterpart ministries across the Middle East and North Africa region.  The workshop, which will run through March 24, follows the successful completion of a similar program for Omani and U.S. participants.  These activities are part of the joint U.S.-Oman commitment to strengthening implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). 

L. Victor Hurtado, the Embassy's Chargé d'Affaires ad interim, welcomed participants and highlighted the importance of strengthening CITES capacity in Oman.  "The illegal trade in wildlife is a multi-billion dollar industry that impacts the hundreds of millions of plant and animal species listed under the Convention," he said.  "This unregulated trade threatens the sustainability of some of the region’s most characteristic species, including the Arabian Oryx and the sea turtles found along the Omani coast.  The future of Oman’s emerging ecotourism industry depends on the responsible management of these vulnerable animals.”

This workshop will enable participants to learn from and interact with representatives from the CITES Secretariat and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  Participants will discuss broad-level CITES policies and topics such as reporting under the Convention, compliance and enforcement mechanisms, species identification, working with the CITES Secretariat, and participation in the bi-annual Conference of the Parties.

The U.S. Department of State is funding this program through the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), which works with governments and people in the Middle East and North Africa to expand economic, political, and educational opportunities. 

The U.S. Department of the Interior's programs provide environmental and technical assistance in support of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and Trade and Investment Framework Agreements (TIFAs) with countries in the region.  These courses are intended to assist governments in strengthening their capacity to regulate trade in wildlife in order to meet commitments enshrined in such agreements. 
The Department of the Interior is the primary conservation agency in the United States.  It manages one-fifth of all lands in the U.S., including the extensive network of National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, and other recreation areas.   The designated CITES authorities for the U.S. are housed in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Working in partnership with Oman, the U.S. Embassy in Muscat supports a range of programs reflecting the deep historic, diplomatic, and economic bilateral ties between the United States and the Sultanate.  To learn more about U.S.-sponsored educational, cultural, and exchange programming, visit the Embassy's website at http://oman.usembassy.gov.