The Ministry of Environment and Water, through its Biodiversity and Awareness and Education Department, recently held a coordination meeting with the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi, EAD, Dubai Municipality, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Emirates Wildlife Society and the World Wide Fund for Nature, WWF, to discuss the latest control methods and guidelines covering the illegal trade of endangered animal and plant species covered under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES.

During the meeting, the participating parties discussed how to properly maintain and protect plants and animals that are threatened with extinction. The Ministry also shared new approaches on how to curb the spread of infectious animal diseases and the proper management of ecosystems ensuring the protection of endangered plants and animals.

Aisha Mohd Al Abdooli, Director of Awareness and Education Department, Ministry of Environment and Water, said that the coordination meeting falls in line with the Ministry's efforts to achieve its vision in ensuring a sustainable environment representing the Ministry of Environment and Water's commitment to promote environmental awareness, which is not only part of the UAE's national strategy, but also helps in making local communities more aware of efforts directed towards achieving sustainability and environmental protection.

The Ministry of Environment and Water has made great strides in the field of environmental protection, particularly in the protection and preservation of animals and plants threatened with extinction as reflected in the numerous welfare programmes that it has implemented, including the Sheikh Khalifa Houbara Breeding Centre that aims to increase the Houbara population and the efforts of local authorities to increase the area of nature reserves to sustain living organisms and the rehabilitation of species that are exposed to natural or human threats, which may thus be at risk of extinction in the future.