Costa Rica, November 2008.

Reaffirming its commitment to the conservation of cetaceans in the region and its role within the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in general, a new meeting of the Buenos Aires Group was conducted.

The meeting took place from November 10th to 13th, 2008, in Heredia - Costa Rica. It was attended by members of this already renown group which is characterized by its conservationist stance within the IWC. The Buenos Aires Group, consists of representatives of Latin American countries member and non-member of the IWC that are working to reach consensus positions and regional interest in all issues related to the activities of the IWC, and particularly at the present, with the process of modernization that the IWC is facing.

This group, again showing its willingness to involve different sectors of society, and as it has done in all its meetings, within the agenda of its fifth meeting, it has dedicated a space for civil society to express its concerns regarding IWC and whale conservation in the region. Taking advantage of this space a set of 30 regional NGOs signed a joint declaration that was presented to the Group.


As well as the issues that remain under discussion within this group regarding the IWC, the attending Governments wrote a new declaration, demonstrating once again their commitment to the conservation of cetaceans and their non-lethal use.