Greater Noida (National Desk): India and the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) signed the Headquarters Agreement in New Delhi on Thursday. The Agreement was signed by P Kumaran, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs, and Dr S.P. Yadav, Director General, IBCA.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a press release, “The Agreement provides for India to be the host for the IBCA Headquarters and Secretariat; and it entails necessary provisions to enable IBCA to meet its intended objectives and also for efficient discharge of its official functions. The text pertains to visas, privileges and immunities to be extended to the IBCA Secretariat and personnel, premises, entry into force, supplementary agreements, and some general provisions.
The MEA further informed, “The Government of India shall provide budgetary support of Rs 150 crore to IBCA for creating a corpus, building infrastructure, and meeting recurring expenditure for five years from 2023-24 to 2028-29. The International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) was launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on 09 April 2023, during an event.”
“Commemorating 50 years of Project Tiger” at Mysuru. The IBCA primarily aims for conservation of seven big cats namely Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar and Puma, with objectives like facilitation of collaboration and synergy amongst the concerned stakeholders, consolidation of successful conservation practices and expertise to achieve conservation of big cats around the globe.
The initiative seeks to foster international collaboration for the sustainable future of big cats, as well as underscores India’s leadership and commitment to global wildlife conservation.
