Ivonne Higuero is Secretary-General of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

How Wildlife Conservation Can Benefit Sustainable Human Development

Vicuñas, an animal species endemic to the highlands of the South American Andes, were exploited to near extinction until they were listed in Appendix I of the CITES Convention in 1975. © Carolyn/Pexels
CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero speaking at the 18th Conference of the CITES Parties, Geneva, Switzerland. August 2019. © Kiara Worth

The work of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and other major wildlife and biodiversity conventions shows that implementing a global framework for conservation can yield results for human development.