“The people chosen to be the NFPs are key to breathing life into the CMS Family. Our enthusiasm is decisive for saving migratory species.”

James Njogu, Kenya

Under CMS and its instruments, Member States are requested to appoint NFPs. The Secretariats and Coordinating Units are required to promote communication and collaboration with and among the Member States. To fulfill this responsibility the Secretariats and Coordinating Units maintain a list of the NFPs designated by the governments of Member States.

In addition, some Agreements (e.g. ACAP, AEWA and EUROBATS) go further - following Article V (4) lit. c) of the CMS - and require Parties to designate a national authority to oversee implementation of the instrument.

CMS NFPs are often requested to play a role in overseeing and following up on the appointment of NFPs for Agreements and MOUs as necessary.

The appointment procedure normally requires that a formal letter from the responsible authority of the Member State be sent to the Secretariat/Coordinating Unit concerned, i.e., a formal letter from the government, including the signature of the minister or equivalent relevant to the instrument and an official stamp. It has to contain the name and contact details of the person appointed. Changes in this regard can be directly communicated to the Secretariat/Coordinating Unit by the NFP himself/herself. The National Report format also provides the opportunity to Member States to confirm and/or update their NFPs contact details.

It is an advantage if NFPs can remain in post for several years so that they can experience the full cycle and build up experience and a network of contacts to ensure continuity in the work and communication flow.