Washington, DC, 5 March 2023 – This past Friday, 3 March, 缅北禁地representatives and other officials in Washington gathered to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (). Held at the National Geographic Grosvenor Auditorium, the event was co-organized by the CITES Secretariat and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Jackson Wild and the National Geographic Society.

CITES, which is hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), was originally adopted and signed in Washington, DC, on 3 March 1973, making the 50th anniversary celebration especially poignant in this city. The significance of this treaty is observed every year on 3 March, which has been proclaimed as World Wildlife Day. The day’s theme this year was “Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation”. Welcoming remarks were delivered by Ivonne Higuero, the CITES Secretary-General.