ENB @ Article 8(j)

First Meeting of the Ad-Hoc Open-Ended Inter-Sessional Working Group on Article 8(j) And Related Provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Seville, Spain; 27 - 31 March 2000

	Versión en Español

Final Briefing:

The first meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Inter-Sessional Working Group on Article 8(j) and Related Provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) met in Seville, Spain from 27-31 March 2000. Over 380 participants, representing governments, indigenous peoples' organizations, NGOs and the academic community, attended the meeting.

Delegates met in two Sub-Working Groups. Sub-Working Group I considered: participatory mechanisms for indigenous and local communities; equitable sharing of benefits; and legal elements. Sub-Working Group II reviewed: status and trends in relation to Article 8(j) and related provisions; traditional cultural practices for conservation and sustainable use; exchange and dissemination of information; and monitoring elements. The Plenary discussed and international cooperation among indigenous and local communities and priorities, opportunities for collaboration and implementation of the work programme, as well as recommendations resulting from the work of the Sub-Working Groups. The recommendations from the Working Group will be forwarded to the fifth Conference of the Parties (COP-5) of the CBD to be held in Nairobi, Kenya from 15-26 May 2000.

Working Group deliberations over the week unveiled fundamental philosophical differences regarding the protection of traditional knowledge as a cultural right or as an economic right. Ideological complexities were revealed in talks on equitable benefit-sharing, information dissemination, and protection systems. Nevertheless, in the spirit of cooperation and with a general desire to advance understanding of these issues, delegates made progress in addressing the agenda items and were able to draft a set of recommendations for consideration by COP-5.

	Hamdallah Zedan, CBD Executive Secretary and Chair Juan Luis Muriel embrace at the conclusion of the Plenary.
The rapporteur, Soumayila Bance (Burkina Faso), then listed recommendations for adoption by the Plenary, including: the draft report of the meeting; development of a work programme on Article 8(j) and related provisions; measures to strengthen cooperation among indigenous and local communities at the international level; application and development of legal and other appropriate forms of protection for the knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities.