| Directed to the Secretariat | |
| 16.1 | The Secretariat shall develop, for consideration at the 65th meeting of the Standing Committee, draft guidance to Parties on the submission of credentials for a meeting of the Conference of the Parties taking note of the CoP16 Credentials Committee Chair’s recommendations that this guidance should address, inter alia, the following: |
| a) submission of original credentials only and not copies of credentials; | |
| b) use of stationery with an official letterhead which indicates the relevant country and government office; | |
| c) signature of credentials by the head of State, head of government or minister of foreign affairs; | |
| d) the acceptability of alternative signatories (in a temporary or acting capacity), if their authority to sign is clearly indicated; | |
| e) provision of the name and title of the signatory; and | |
| f) translation into one of the three working languages of the Convention. | |
| When the draft guidance has been endorsed by the Standing Committee, the Secretariat shall make it available to Parties through the CITES website. | |