The following statement was issued by the Wildlife Conservation Society at CITES CoP18. Susan Lieberman, vice president of international policy for the Wildlife Conservation Society, presented these remarks in full plenary as CITES CoP18 came to conclusion.

WASHINGTON (December 18, 2015) – WCS regards Congress and the Administration’s agreement on an omnibus federal budget as a win for wildlife, as the sides struck a balanced approach that was free from most harmful policy riders and maintained or increased funding to stop wildlife trafficking by terrorist networks and other conservation priorities, including supporting the Global Environment Facility.