ENB @ ABS-4; 30 January - 3 February 2006; Granada, Spain

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN"> ENB @ ABS-4; 30 January - 3 February 2006; Granada, Spain

Fourth meeting of the Ad hoc Open-ended Working Group on Access and Benefit-sharing of the Convention on Biological Diversity

30 January - 3 February 2006 | Granada, Spain

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SUMMARY

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Highlights for Friday, 3 February 2006

On Friday morning, the Committee of the Whole was presented with draft recommendations on an international regime on access and benefit-sharing (ABS), a certificate of origin/source/legal provenance, and compliance measures with prior informed consent (PIC) and mutually agreed terms. The draft recommendations were approved with editorial corrections.

Above photo: Delegates from Brazil saying "See you in Curitiba, Brazil for COP-8" at the close of WG ABS-4.

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE



Spain reported on the Friends of the Chair group’s deliberations on an international regime on ABS, urging delegations not to re-open the compromise outcome. Above photo: Carlos Martin-Novella (Spain)		Contact Group Co-Chair Consolata Kiragu (Kenya)(above) reported on the contact group deliberations on the certificate of origin/source/legal provenance, highlighting remaining brackets in the annex.

Chair Clemente introduced the agenda item on use of terms, definitions and/or glossary. She suggested, and delegates agreed, that the Working Group consider delaying consideration of the issue until the negotiation of an ABS regime reaches a more advanced stage. She then introduced the agenda item on indicators for ABS in the context of the evaluation of progress in the implementation of the Strategic Plan. She proposed, and delegates agreed, that the Working Group postpone consideration of the issue until its next meeting, to allow for further submission of information by parties.

Above photo L-R: Kangayatkarasu Nagulendran (Malaysia); Biswajit Dhar (India); Chair Clemente; Gurdial Singh Nijar (Malaysia); Desh Deepak Verma (India) and Mohamad Bin Osman (Malaysia)

CLOSING PLENARY:



Norway reported that informal consultations on the participation of indigenous and local communities reached agreement that participation should be strengthened within the existing rules of procedure. Above photo: Birthe Ivars (Norway)	The EU proposed that the Working Group adopt a recommendation on continuing to support indigenous and local participation through, among others, urging the Working Group Chair to invite indigenous representatives to participate in informal groups; and providing them with timely and adequate opportunities to participate in the debate. Above photo L-R: Linda Brown and Cosima Hufler (Austria on behalf of the EU)	The IIFB regretted the fact that the participation of indigenous representatives was limited in the negotiations of an international regime on ABS. Above photo: Joji Cariño (IIFB)



Argentina objected to the unilateral and last-minute submission of the EU proposal, reiterating their support to include indigenous representatives in national delegations. Above photo: Claudio Gutierrez (Argentina)		Rapporteur Matamoros (above) submitted the report of the meeting (UNEP/CBD/WG-ABS/4/L.1), which was adopted with minor editorial amendments. Delegates also adopted a tribute to the Government and people of Spain by acclamation.

CBD Executive Secretary Ahmed Djoghlaf (above) recalled his message to the citizens of the world to keep up the promise of reversing the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010, and urged delegates to show determination to advance the CBD implementation and carry the spirit of Granada to Curitiba.

Brazil said the meeting produced a well-organized and structured basis to fulfill the mandate of the Working Group to negotiate an international regime on ABS. Commending the work of Chair Clemente and the opening speech by Spain’s Minister of Environment Cristina Narbona, he said Spain’s voice has been crucial in moving the ABS process forward.

Above photo L-R: Henrique Choer, Hadil Fontes Da Rocha Vianna and Adriana Tescari ( Brazil )

India, on behalf of the LMMC, expressed its satisfaction with the outcome document, noting it could be used as a basis for negotiations.

Above photo: Desh Deepak Verma (India)

Chair Clemente thanked delegates for the fruitful discussions, noting that bracketed text is useful to highlight options that need further reflection. She thanked, among others, the Earth Negotiations Bulletin for their coverage, and gaveled the meeting to a close at 6:57 pm.

Above photos: ENB with delegates from Malaysia

GALLERY OF ENB READERS:

Above photos L-R: CBD Executive Secretary Ahmed Djoghlaf; Modibo Cissé (Mali); Renata de Ponte and Oliviero Montanaro (Italy); Claudio Gutierrez (Argentina) and David Cunningham (Australia)