The CMS Secretariat would like to announce the retirement from UN service of its Executive Secretary, Mr. Arnulf Müller-Helmbrecht, at the end of July, 2004. Mr. Müller-Helmbrecht has dedicated over 12 years to the conservation of migratory species of wild animals. Since he joined the Secretariat in 1993 the number of CMS parties has more than doubled, three major Agreements and seven memoranda of understanding were concluded, the Secretariat’s regular staff has more than trebled and CMS has signed memoranda of cooperation with 11 global environmental organisations, such as with Wetlands International, and the CBD, CITES and Ramsar Conventions, to mention just a few.

Arnulf leaves us to take up a position with his former employer, the German Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, by whom he had been granted special leave for his tenure with the United Nations Environment Programme. Mr. Müller-Helmbrecht would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have given their generous support and worked together with him over the years towards the conservation of migratory species, helping to turn CMS into the effective instrument it is today, and thereby contributing to the survival of one of nature’s most unique phenomena, migratory species.