Ivonne Higuero

Ms. Ivonne Higuero, Secretary-General of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Secretariat Ivonne Higuero is a biologist and environmental economist with over 30 years of experience supporting intergovernmental processes covering biodiversity conservation, natural resource economics and policy, and trade‑related environmental governance. A national of Panama, she is the first woman and the first person from a developing country to lead the CITES Secretariat. Ms. Higuero has served as Secretary‑General of CITES for nearly eight years, guiding global efforts to ensure that international trade in wild animals and plants is sustainable, legal, and contributes to wildlife conservation.