The Indian delegation organized an event on the sidelines of the 16th meeting of the Conference of State Parties to the Convention on International Trade and Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) on 11 March 2013 at the Queen Sirikit Convention Centre of Bangkok, unveiling plans to organize the International Elephant Congress and Ministerial meet (E50:50) in New Delhi from November 14-19, 2013. The Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Thailand Anil Wadhwa conveyed to delegation members from all CoP-16 CITES countries that considering the close association of elephants in culture, religion and in economic life, it was befitting that a country like India which is home to 60 per cent of all Asia's wild elephants and 20 per cent of captive elephants to be hosting a pioneering event in order to bring the world together for elephant conservation. As a prelude to this Congress, the Kingdom organized the E-8 Ministerial meeting in May 2011 that brought together a Ministerial delegation of 8 elephant range countries, viz., Botswana, Brazzville Congo, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Thailand at New Delhi, India. On behalf of the Government of India, Ambassador Wadhwa extended an invitation to all delegates taking part in the 16th meeting of the Conference of State Parties (CITES) to the International Elephant Congress and Ministerial Meet in New Delhi and stated that India looks forward to developing a shared vision on conserving and protecting elephants of the world.