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REPORT OF COP-2

COP-1 President and Bahamas Minister of Education and Training, Dr. Ivy Dumont, officially opened COP-2. She noted that the Nassau meeting was convened and organized in record time due to the CBD's rapid entry into force and was politically significant, as demonstrated by the participation of 133 States, 120 NGOs and 75 high-level representatives during the Ministerial Segment.

The Philippines, on behalf of the G-77, nominated Indonesia's Minister of Environment, Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, as President of COP-2, who was elected by acclamation. Minister Kusumaatmadja encouraged delegates to build on the promising start made at COP-1 and subsequent intersessional work, and to take decisive action on financial contributions, technology transfer, biosafety, genetic resources, intellectual property rights (IPR) and coastal and marine biodiversity as well as terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity.

Executive Secretary Dr. Calestous Juma noted that many States have formed action plans and adopted national legislation. Substantive discussions have taken place in the Second Committee of the UN General Assembly, and UN bodies such as the CSD are examining their relationship with the CBD. SBSTTA and regional meetings have also taken place.