President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has forwarded a proposal for Maldives to become a member of the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), to the People’s Majlis.

The decision to submit the proposal was made during a meeting held by President Solih’s cabinet of ministers on Tuesday. It follows a request by the Ministry of Environment.

The convention is an international treaty falling under the United Nations Environment Program and is devoted to ensure that wild animals are protected along with their habitats and ecosystems.

There are 127 countries currently participating in the treaty.

Special protection is extended from the convention to a number of species including sharks, turtles, tortoises, dolphins, whales, birds and manta rays. It urges states to implement measures devoted to protect their numbers and habitats.

President Solih’s government highly prioritizes protecting and preserving the natural environment and life contained, and the provisions of the convention are in accordance with the Maldives laws and regulations that are pertinent to safeguard our natural bounty.

The President’s Office revealed that becoming a party to this convention will confer many benefits to the Maldives especially with regard to reaching the sustainable development goals pertinent to life underwater and on land, and partnership for goals relevant to the National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plan from 2016 to 2025.