Media statement
Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg has been selected to be host venue for Conference of Parties to CITES (CITES CoP17) from the 24 September to 2 October 2016. The CITES CoP17 meeting will take place in Johannesburg for the time and it will be the fourth CITES CoP meeting held in Africa since 1975, but the first on the continent since 2000.
The centre is expected to attract 2 000 delegates from 180 countries, as well as non-governmental organisations and civil society to attend CITES CoP17 who will be engaging in dynamic debate on issues related to the conservation and protection of plant and animal species for future generations, including rhinoceros and elephant, according to CITES.
CITES regulates international trade in over 35Â 000 species of plants and animals, including their products and derivatives, ensuring their survival in the wild with benefits for the livelihoods of local people and the global environment. The CITES permit system aims to ensure that international trade in listed species is sustainable, legal and traceable.
“We certainly have the facilities, the experience and know-how, and the high standards of service excellence to deliver a smooth-running CoP17, but we also have the ideal location in the heart of the Sandton business district, easily accessible to the outside world and adjacent to one of the prime shopping, restaurant, hotel, and entertainment areas in the country,” says Mati Nyazema, Executive Director of the Sandton Convention Centre.
