Terms of Reference of the Conservation, Environment, and Water Committee of the South Africa-United States Binational Commission,
Pretoria, 1995
Done at Pretoria 5 December 1995
Entered into force 5 December 1995
Primary source citation: Copy of text provided by the U.S. Department of State
Whereas the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the United States of America, referred to as the Parties, established the South Africa-United States Binational Commission on 1 March, 1995; and whereas the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry of the Republic of South Africa and the Department of the Interior of the United States of America intend to facilitate cooperation in conservation, environment and water, the Parties agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
South Africa-United States Conservation, Environment and Water Committee (the “Committee”) is hereby established by the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the United States of America (the “Parties”) as a bilateral committee to facilitate cooperation in conservation, environment and water between the Parties. These Terms of Reference are intended to provide a general framework to guide cooperation between the Parties.
ARTICLE II
The Committee will provide advice and guidance to the Parties, exchange information, and encourage bilateral discussions in the following areas:
A. Sustainable development and utilization of wildlife resources, including trade in wildlife resources and issues related to implementation of the 1973 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora with appendices, as amended (CITES);
B. Environmental management capacity building, including environmental laws, policies and practices that encourage sound environment management and sustainable development, with particular attention to promoting pollution prevention, township environmental concerns and land and water management.


C. Citizen participation and non-governmental organization involvement in resource management issues and increased interaction between United States and South African conservation and environmental ­non-governmental organizations, academic and research institutions, and private environmental technology and services companies.
D. International environmental instruments, such as the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity, with ­annexes; the 1971 Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat; the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; the 1972 Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage; the 1994 United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification Particularly in Africa, and other conventions and organizations.
E. Scientific methods, such as satellite imagery, geographic information systems and other advanced techniques, to monitor and assess aspects of land degradation, habitat quality, species protection and resource management.
F. Conservation of the white and black rhino, the African elephant and other endangered species. South Africa’s population of white rhino is healthy and growing, whereas the species is virtually extinct throughout the rest of Africa. South Africa, together with Zimbabwe and Botswana, has the largest and healthiest remaining population of African elephant.
G. Systemic exchange of information between and among counterpart government agencies, particularly on conservation activities and environmental laws, policies and programs.
H. Management of Fisheries.
ARTICLE III
The Committee will be co-chaired by the Ministers of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and of Water Affairs and Forestry of South Africa and the Secretary of the Interior for the United States of America.
ARTICLE IV
The Committee will consists of senior officials from appropriate departments and entities under the Republic of South Africa Government and the United States Government.
ARTICLE V
The Committee will be comprised of working groups as appropriate. These include a working group on wildlife conservation. Additional working groups may be established upon agreement by the Parties. Each working group shall formulate and adopt appropriate procedural rules to govern their respective meetings outside the Committee.
ARTICLE VI
The Committee will work on the basis of mutual agreement and shall, as necessary, adopt rules of procedure and work programs. The Committee shall meet at least twice annually as mutually agreed upon by the Parties alternately in South Africa and the United States. Any measures on recommendations resulting from the Committees or its sectoral working groups will specify whether subsequent approval of the parties is required. Any document mutually agreed upon during the work of the Committee will be in the English language.
ARTICLE VII
These Terms of Reference may be amended by mutual agreement of the Parties at any time.
In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly authorised by their respective Governments, have signed and sealed these Terms of Reference, in duplicate, at Praetoria on this 5th day of December 1995.
1354 The Marine Mammal Commission Compendium

[Signature] [Signature]
FOR AND ON BEHALF OF FOR AND ON BEHALF OF
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE THE GOVERNMENT OF THE
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

[Seal]


Bilateral / South Africa