President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has submitted a proposal to Parliament for Maldives to become a member of the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). The decision was made during a cabinet meeting upon consideration of a paper submitted by Ministry of Environment.
CMS is an international treaty falling under the United Nations Environment Programme and is devoted to ensuring that species of wild animals that regularly migrate, whether on land, through the air, or underwater, are protected, along with their habitats and ecosystems. Currently, 127 countries are participatory members of the treaty.
Protecting and preserving the natural environment and life contained therein is a high priority of the administration and the provisions of this convention are in harmony with the spirit of the Maldives' own laws and regulations pertinent to safeguarding our natural bounty.
The convention extends special protections to a number of species, encompassing sharks, turtles, tortoises, dolphins, whales, birds, and manta rays, and calls on states to implement measures devoted to protecting their numbers and habitats.
Becoming a party to the convention would confer several benefits to the Maldives, especially with regard to reaching the Sustainable Development Goals pertinent to life underwater, life on land, and partnership for the goals, as well as the goals relevant to the National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plan 2016-2025.