SAMARKAND, 25th November, 2025 (WAM) -- Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, underscored that the United Arab Emirates continues to solidify its position as a key driver in achieving the objectives of the "CITES" convention.

By integrating innovative legislation with cutting-edge AI solutions, the UAE is ensuring effective and sustainable protection for wildlife and endangered species while combating transboundary environmental crimes.

Al Dahak delivered the UAE National Statement during the High-Level Dialogue at the 20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP20) taking place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

This conference is the world's most significant event for decision-making on international wildlife trade regulation, convening representatives from 184 parties to chart the future of global biodiversity conservation.

She emphasised that the UAE, as a global trade hub, enforces a strict "zero-tolerance" policy towards illegal trade in wildlife.

Al Dahak outlined the key features of the UAE's Federal Law that serves as a model for innovative legislation in wildlife protection. The law is currently being updated to introduce prison sentences of up to 15 years and fines of up to AED2 million. It underlines the UAE's position as a hostile territory for the trafficking of wildlife and endangered species, sending a firm message to offenders.

She also highlighted the UAE's integration of environmental crimes into its national anti-money laundering strategy to dismantle criminal financial networks.

She also unveiled a pioneering initiative demonstrating the UAE's commitment to leveraging advanced technology for environmental protection with an AI-driven Smart CITES Certificate Verification System, developed in partnership with IBM.

Al Dahak explained that this system is designed to replace vulnerable, traditional systems with automated permit authentication, integrated with national databases for real-time fraud detection. This ensures supply chain reliability, reinforcing global confidence in legal trade originating from the country.

The minister highlighted that the UAE's commitment to wildlife protection stems from a 50-year legacy, whose foundation was laid down by the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

She explained that this legacy was the driving force behind the UAE's early accession to CITES in 1974 and continues, to this day, as the guiding light for developing an integrated system that combines traditional wisdom with modern technology.

With its sights set firmly on the future, the UAE continues to reinforce its commitment to wildlife on a global scale.

She announced that the UAE, as the host of the 2026 UN Congress on Crime Prevention, will lead a new global movement by placing "wildlife cybercrime" at the top of the international agenda to firmly tackle emerging digital threats targeting biodiversity.

The minister stressed that this advanced security approach runs parallel to substantial environmental gains on the ground. The UAE's commitment is visible beyond enforcement statistics in its thriving science-based conservation programmes. Aimed at holistic species conservation, these national efforts have successfully brought species like the Arabian Oryx and the Houbara bustard back from the brink of extinction.

In her concluding remarks, she reaffirmed the UAE's leading role in joint international action, citing the success of the International Initiative of Law Enforcement for Climate (I2LEC) launched by the UAE in collaboration with INTERPOL and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

This partnership yielded successful field operations such as "Operation Jungle Shield" in Central Africa, which stands as a testament to this partnership's efficacy. It led to 58 arrests and the seizure of over two tonnes of illicit ivory.

She emphasised that these results prove the UAE's move from national compliance to proactive global leadership in law enforcement, contributing directly to dismantling organised crime at its source. A key feature of this transformation is capacity building to combat trafficking in endangered species. Globally, through I2LEC, the UAE has provided training to law enforcement officers from over 123 countries.

Al Dahak renewed the UAE's commitment and readiness to share its advanced technological solutions and strengthen its strategic partnerships, ensuring that the CITES convention translates into a sustainable impact that protects wildlife worldwide.