This 5-year cooperation agreement coincides with the appointment of Antonio Troya as new Director and Programme Coordinator of the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation in Málaga, commencing 21 June. Antonio, a Spanish national, holds a license in Biological Sciences, specialized in Environmental Biology, from the Universidad Autónoma of Madrid. Throughout his professional life he has carried out several senior positions in different Spanish and European public administrations, in the area of development, planning and management of nature conservation and protection of the environment policies.

The IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation started its activities in 2001 in Malaga, Spain. IUCN brings together more than 170 members in the Mediterranean region and includes governments, NGOs and governmental agencies. Its mission is to influence, encourage and assist Mediterranean societies in achieving both the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources, and sustainable development, working with the IUCN Members and other agencies with the similar objectives. Since its creation, IUCN-Med has benn supported by the Consejería de Medio Ambiente de la Junta de Andalucía and the Spanish Ministry of Environment.

Spain has been member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 1984. IUCN, the biggest and oldest global environmental network, was founded in 1948.