A male lion (Panthera leo) in Kenya. Photo by Tim Cronin/CIFOR
26 Oct. 2026 — Hani Rocha El Bizri, Coordinator of the Sustainable Use of Wild Species Transformative Partnership Platform (SU-TPP), was elected Vice Chair of the Collaborative Partnership on Sustainable Wildlife Management (CPW). He will represent Landscape Alliance and share the role with Sarah Ferguson of TRAFFIC.
The CPW is a voluntary partnership of international organizations with mandates on the conservation and sustainable use of wildlife. It was established in 2013 following Decision XI/25 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
This election took place at the 17th Conference of the Parties to the CBD (COP17) in Yerevan, Armenia, where the CPW continued to facilitate increased cooperation and coordination amongst its members on sustainable wildlife management issues.
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Speaking about her priorities, Ferguson said: “The Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) sit at the heart of the Partnership, and I am committed to ensuring that their perspectives, priorities and institutional needs are reflected throughout our collective work.” She added that the CPW is most valuable when it responds directly to Parties’ needs, and she intends to explore how to engage them “more regularly and more systematically,” including through MEA governing bodies, side events and dialogues.
Hani said he was “equally honoured by the trust and confidence” of CPW members, and echoed Sarah’s appreciation for outgoing Chair and Vice Chair, Ivonne Higuero and Dilys Roe, “whose leadership and commitment have been truly inspiring and have left with a such a strong foundation to build upon.”
“I very much look forward to contributing my own experience, energy and commitment to this new chapter,” he added. “Drawing on my experience working with communities and partners on the ground, I have seen first-hand how important it is to bridge international commitments with local realities. I hope to bring this perspective to our collective efforts, helping translate the CPW’s work into meaningful and practical support for Parties and communities.”
Hani also thanked members for their confidence and said he looked forward to “listening, learning and working closely” with them and the Secretariat as the CPW builds on its achievements.