Minister of Climate Change and Environment: The UAE is consolidating its position as a pivotal player in achieving goals "CITES"

Samarkand, November 25 / WAM / Her Excellency Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahhak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, confirmed that the UAE continues to consolidate its position as a major international player in supporting and achieving the goals of the CITES agreement, by adopting a pioneering approach that combines innovative legislation and the latest artificial intelligence technologies, to ensure effective and sustainable protection of wildlife and endangered species, and combating transnational environmental crimes.

This came in the UAE’s speech delivered by Her Excellency in the “High-Level Dialogue” within the activities of the twentieth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (COP20), currently being held in the city of Samarkand in the Republic of Uzbekistan.

This conference is considered the most prominent global event for decision-making related to regulating international trade in wildlife, as it brings together representatives of 184 parties to shape the future of global biodiversity conservation.

Al-Dahhak stressed that the UAE, as a global trade center, applies a policy of “zero tolerance” towards the illegal trade in endangered species, and reviewed the features of the ongoing legislative update of the federal law, which represents a model for innovative and deterrent legislation, and includes tightening penalties, with up to 15 years in prison and imposing fines of up to 2 million dirhams, to send a clear message that the UAE is a repellent environment for traffickers of wildlife and species. Endangered. She noted the innovative link between environmental crimes and the anti-money laundering strategy, to dismantle the financial structure of criminal networks.

She pointed to a pioneering step that reflects the UAE’s harnessing of advanced technology to serve the environment, which is the “smart verification system for CITES certificates supported by artificial intelligence,” which was developed in a strategic partnership with IBM, explaining that this system sets a new standard; It replaces manual procedures with an immediate and secure automation system that allows for real-time fraud detection and ensures the reliability of supply chains, which enhances global confidence in legal trade emanating from the country.

In the context of her talk about the roots of this national trend, Al-Dahhak pointed out that the UAE’s commitment to protecting wildlife is a firm principle that extends over fifty years, and is derived from the forward-looking vision of the late founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God have mercy on him, stressing that this legacy was the motivation behind the UAE’s early accession to CITES in 1974, and that it continues today as a driver for developing an integrated system that combines authenticity and modernity.

She stressed that the UAE, as the host country for the “United Nations Crime Prevention Conference 2026,” will lead a new global movement by placing the issue of “cybercrimes against wildlife” at the top of international priorities, to firmly address emerging digital threats targeting biodiversity, pointing out that this advanced security approach goes in parallel with tangible environmental achievements on the ground; National scientific programs have succeeded in transforming the threat of extinction into stories of prosperity, as is evident in the UAE’s tangible efforts in the recovery of the “Arabian Oryx” herds and the return of the “Houbara” birds to nature, which demonstrates the comprehensiveness of the Emirati model that goes beyond legal enforcement to comprehensive care.

The Minister of Climate Change and Environment concluded by emphasizing the leadership role of the UAE in joint international action, citing the success of the “International Law Enforcement Initiative for Climate” (I2LEC) launched by the country in cooperation with Interpol and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, which resulted in successful field operations such as “Jungle Shield”, which was implemented in the Central African region, as practical evidence of the efficiency of this partnership. It resulted in the arrest of 58 involved, and the confiscation of more than two tons of illegal ivory.

She stressed that these results demonstrate the UAE’s transition from the stage of national compliance to the stage of “proactive leadership in global law enforcement,” and the direct contribution to dismantling organized crime in its strongholds, and that one of the features of this transformation is the contribution to qualifying human cadres to put an end to trafficking in endangered species. For example, the UAE, through the International Climate Law Enforcement Initiative, has trained law enforcement officers from more than 123 countries.

Al Dahak reiterated the UAE’s commitment and readiness to share its advanced technical solutions, strengthen its strategic partnerships, and ensure that CITES commitments are translated into a sustainable impact that protects wildlife around the world.

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