The city of Samarand will host the 20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP20) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) from November 24 to December 5, 2025.
This will be the first time that a Central Asian country will host the CITES Conference of the Parties, bringing together 4,000 delegates from 184 parties (183 countries and the European Union) and numerous stakeholders in wildlife conservation and trade.
The announcement came after the signing of an agreement between Uzbekistan’s Minister of Environmental Protection, Aziz Abdukhakimov, and CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero during the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
“This agreement underscores the importance of international collaboration in combating biodiversity loss and illegal wildlife trade. We look forward to welcoming the global community to Samarkand during COP20 to unite our efforts in protecting our planet’s rich biological heritage,” said Minister Abdukhakimov.
Ivonne Higuero voiced gratitude to Uzbekistan for the initiative to host the event in the culturally rich city of Samarkand, highlighting the symbolic importance of the location.
The conference will focus on ensuring that international wildlife trade remains sustainable, legal, and traceable. Delegates will discuss strategies for species conservation, sustainable resource management, and measures to combat illegal wildlife trade.
Uzbekistan has been a party to CITES since 1997. The convention, founded in 1973 and effective since 1975, aims to protect endangered species of wild animals and plants and prevent illegal trade. Several species from Uzbekistan are included in the CITES list, underscoring the country's critical role in wildlife conservation.
