African Group

On Monday, 3 April, delegates to the third session of the Preparatory Committee on the elements of a draft text of an international legally binding instrument on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (PrepCom 3) convened in the informal working group on capacity building and technology transfer (CB&TT) in the morning. The informal working group on cross-cutting issues, facilitated by Chair Sobral Duarte, met for the rest of the day, addressing the scope of a new legally binding instrument, its relationship with other instruments and its possible institutional arrangements. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has providing daily web coverage, daily reports and a summary and analysis report from the 3rd Session of the Preparatory Committee Established by the UN General Assembly Resolution 69/292 “Development of an International Legally Binding Instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.” Our summary and analysis report is available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Franz Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page L-R: Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS); Rena Lee, Singapore, Facilitator of the informal working group on capacity building and transfer of marine technology; and Alice Hicuburundi, UNDOALOS Peter Haugan, Chair of Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group Juliette Babb-Riley, Barbados, on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Shara Duncan, Costa Rica Margo Deiye, Nauru, on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) Lucía Raffin, Argentina Carl Grainger, EU Angel Horna, Peru Evan Bloom, US Takehiro Nakamura, UN Environment Kristina Gjerde, IUCN Blaise Kuemlangan, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) Alain Tellier, Canada Kjell Kristian Egge, Norway Rogelio Villanueva Jr., the Philippines Peni Suveinakama, Fiji Diedre Mills, Jamaica L-R: Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS; Chair Carlos Sobral Duarte, Brazil; Alice Hicuburundi, UNDOALOS; and Charlotte Salpin, UNDOALOS Efraín Baus Palacios, Ecuador, for the G-77/China Pablo Arrocha Olabuenaga, Mexico Djamchid Momtaz, Iran Ramalingam Kirubagaran, India Larisa Chernysheva, Russian Federation Daniela Diz, WWF Delegates from Spain consulting Leonito Bacalando Jr., Federated States of Micronesia, consulting with the Philippines L-R: John Brincat, EU; Pablo Arrocha Olabuenaga, Mexico; and Gina Guillén-Grillo, Costa Rica L-R: Sergey Leonidchenko, Russian Federation, in conversation with Evan Bloom, US Delegates from the Philippines

On Friday, 31 March, delegates to the third session of the Preparatory Committee on the elements of a draft text of an international legally binding instrument on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (PrepCom 3) convened in the informal working group on capacity building and technology transfer throughout the day. Discussions focused on: scope, principles and modalities of capacity building and technology transfer; links with other elements of a new legally binding instrument; intellectual property rights; a clearinghouse mechanism; funding; and monitoring and review. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has providing daily web coverage, daily reports and a summary and analysis report from the 3rd Session of the Preparatory Committee Established by the UN General Assembly Resolution 69/292 “Development of an International Legally Binding Instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.” Our summary and analysis report is available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Franz Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Rena Lee, Singapore, Facilitator of the informal working group on capacity building and transfer of marine technology Juliette Babb-Riley, Barbados, on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Luis Oña Garcés, Ecuador, on behalf of the G-77/China Ismail Raushan Zahir, Maldives, on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group Margo Deiye, Nauru, on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) Marc Richir, EU Christopher Katota, Zambia, on behalf of Landlocked Developing Countries Khurshed Alam, Bangladesh Dhisadee Chamlongrasdr, Thailand Thembile Joyini, South Africa Christoph Reusser, Switzerland Tevita Suka Mangisi, Tonga Zentaro Naganuma, Japan Hina Saeed Baig, Pakistan Kjell Kristian Egge, Norway Linlin Li, China Cristóbal Hernández Castillo, Chile Michael Lodge, Secretary-General, International Seabed Authority (ISA), delivering his intervention Yolannie Cerrato, Honduras Kate Neilson, New Zealand Siai Taylor, Cook Islands Carlos Garcia Reyes, Guatemala Duncan Currie, Greenpeace International Michael Lodge, Secretary-General, ISA L-R: Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS); Rena Lee, Singapore, Facilitator of the informal working group on capacity building and transfer of marine technology; Alice Hicuburundi, UNDOALOS; Vita Onwuasoanya, UNDOALOS; and Angela Chung, UNDOALOS Thembile Joyini, South Africa, consulting with Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria Michael Googan, Australia, in conversation with delegates from Norway Delegates from GRULAC in informal consultations

On Monday, 27 March, the third session of the Preparatory Committee established by the UN General Assembly in 2015 to make recommendations on the elements of a draft text of an international legally binding instrument under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (PrepCom 3) convened in plenary in the morning, chaired by Carlos Sobral Duarte, Brazil. During the brief session, delegates heard from Stephen Mathias, Assistant Secretary-General, Office of Legal Affairs, on progress on marine issues relating to the work of the PrepCom. Delegates then met in an informal working group on marine genetic resources (MGRs) including questions on the sharing of benefits, which met for the rest of the day, facilitated by Janine Coye-Felson, Belize. Considerations on MGRs will continue on Tuesday, 28 March. Side events also took place over lunchtime on experiences of benefit-sharing regimes and their potential relevance to MGRs and capacity building in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ), and options for using area-based planning tools in ABNJ. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has providing daily web coverage, daily reports and a summary and analysis report from the 3rd Session of the Preparatory Committee Established by the UN General Assembly Resolution 69/292 “Development of an International Legally Binding Instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.” Our summary and analysis report is available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Franz Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page View of the opening session chaired by Carlos Sobral Duarte, Brazil Miguel de Serpa Soares, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel, on behalf of UN Secretary-General António Guterres Chair Carlos Sobral Duarte, Brazil Juliette Babb-Riley, Barbados, on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Ali Nasimfar, Iran Ismail Raushan Zahir, Maldives, on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Drusila Esther Bayate, the Philippines Luis Oña Garcés, Ecuador, on behalf of the G-77/China Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group L-R: Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS); Chair Carlos Sobral Duarte, Brazil; Alice Hicuburundi, UNDOALOS; and Charlotte Salpin, UNDOALOS View of the room of PrepCom 3 from the perspective of the dais Janine Coye-Felson, Belize, Facilitator of the informal working group on marine genetic resources Sergey Leonidchenko, Russian Federation Khurshed Alam, Bangladesh Margo Deiye, Nauru, on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) Kamal Shali Ghimire, Nepal Pablo Arrocha Olabuenaga, Mexico Alain Tellier, Canada José Luis Fernández Valoni, Argentina Haryo Budi Nugroho, Indonesia Matthías Pálsson, Iceland Kjell Kristian Egge, Norway Rena Lee, Singapore Evan Bloom, US Jihyun Lee and Joseph Appiott, Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat Thembile Joyini, South Africa, consulting with Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria Delegates from the African Group consulting

On Friday, 18 November, the UN Climate Change Conference continued in Marrakech, Morocco, for its last scheduled day. In the afternoon, informal consultations on preparations for the entry into force of the Paris Agreement and the first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA 1) were held under the Presidency of the 22nd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 22) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and CMA 1. In the evening, the COP and Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP) closing plenaries convened to resolve most remaining agenda items, before suspending. UPDATE: 10:03pm: COP and CMA draft decision text has been distributed in the room. 10:52pm: The CMA closing plenary opens. 11:58pm: CMA 1 adopts the decision on matters relating to the implementation of the Paris Agreement. CMA suspended at 11:53pm. The COP resumes its closing plenary at 11:53pm. COP 22 adopts the decision on preparations for the entry into force of the Paris Agreement and CMA 1. 1:44am: Closing statements under the COP continue. 2:18am: CMA 1 suspends at 2:16am, and will reconvene in 2017. 2:20am: CMP 12 closes at 2:20am. 2:47am: COP 22 closed at 2:47am. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, is providing daily web coverage, daily reports and a summary and analysis report from the Marrakech Climate Change Conference - November 2016. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth. For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions on our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage page. Informal Consultations throughout the Day CMA 1/COP 22 informal consultations under the Presidency on the preparations for the entry into force of the Paris Agreement and CMA 1 Security controls access into the informal consultations The COP Presidency consults Delegates confer informally in the final stages of negotiations COP and CMP Closing Plenaries Delegates gather outside of the Marrakech plenary hall for the closing plenaries Paweł Sałek, Secretary of State for the Environment, Poland Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, Fiji Delegates applaud the work done by the UNFCCC Global Climate Action Champions UNFCCC Global Climate Action Champions Laurence Tubiana, France, and Hakima El Haité, Morocco Paweł Sałek, Secretary of State for the Environment, Poland, Salaheddine Mezouar, COP 22/CMP 12 President, and Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, Fiji Richard Kinley, Deputy Executive Secretary, UNFCCC, and SBI Chair Tomasz Chruszczow, Poland CMA Closing Plenary Delegates read the draft text of the COP decision for the preparations for the entry into force of the Paris Agreement and CMA 1 Delegates huddle to discuss the text Salaheddine Mezouar, COP 22/CMP 12 President Adriana Murillo, Costa Rica, speaking on behalf of the Independent Association of Latin America and the Caribbean (AILAC) Diego Pacheco Balanza, Bolivia Hussein Alfa Nafo, Mali, speaking on behalf of the African Group Ravi Prasad, India Jonathan Pershing, US, speaking on behalf of the Umbrella Group Plenary sings happy birthday to Hussein Alfa Nafo, Mali UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa Delegates applaud the work of Richard Kinley, UNFCCC Deputy Executive Secretary, June Budhooram, UNFCCC Secretariat, and Dan Bondi Ogolla, UNFCCC Secretariat, for their long-standing contributions to international climate negotiations UNFCCC Family Photo Hundreds of delegates gather for the largest ever UNFCCC family photo Around the Venue Delegates arrive at the venue for the last day of the conference Media reports occur throughout the day Delegates from Sudan and South Sudan Merlyn Van Voore, Special Advisor on Climate Change to the Executive Director of UN Environment (UNEP) Delegates from Norway Delegates from Sweden The COP Presidency consults informally Artist Nordine Znati, Morocco Marilyn Averill, RINGOs UNFCCC Global Climate Action Champion Hakima El Haité, Morocco Bedouin tents around the venue The Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) team covering the negotiations: Beate Antonich; Jennifer Allan; Sandra Gagnon; Virginia Wiseman; Anna Schulz; Mari Luomi; Cleo Verkuijl; and Kiara Worth

On Tuesday, 15 November, the UN Climate Change Conference continued in Marrakech, Morocco. In the morning, the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) closed, and the opening plenary of the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA 1) convened. The opening ceremony of the joint high-level segment of the COP, COP serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP) and CMA took place. Contact groups and informal consultations under the COP and CMP took place throughout the day. In the afternoon, the joint high-level segment continued. The webcast of the joint high-level segment is available at: http://unfccc.cloud.streamworld.de/webcast/high-level-segment. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, is providing daily web coverage, daily reports and a summary and analysis report from the Marrakech Climate Change Conference - November 2016. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth. For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions on our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage page. Family photo of heads of state and government, and ministers attending COP 22 Opening of the High-Level Segment View of the dais during the opening of the high-level segment (HLS) King of Morocco Mohammed VI UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa Miriame Mouhoub, Morrocan Youth delivering a 'Statement on the Future of the Planet'  Laurene Powell Jobs, Emerson Collective Peter Thomson, President of the UN General Assembly President François Hollande, France Security during the high-level segment Children participate in a song to welcome delegates to the high-level segment High-Level Segment View of the dais during the high-level segment President Mahamadou Issoufou, Niger, speaking on behalf of the African Group Prince Albert II, Monaco President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, Djibouti Emir of Kuwait Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah President Macky Sall, Senegal President Michelle Bachelet, Chile President Baron Waqa, Nauru President Danny Rollen Faure, Seychelles President Gjorge Ivanov, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Dignitaries Meet Informally Dignitaries gather in the VIP section of the venue COP 21/CMP 11 President Laurent Fabius, former Minister for Foreign Affairs, France Wu Hongbo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Amina J. Mohammed, Minister of the Environment, Nigeria Presidents and prime ministers speak informally King of Morocco Mohammed VI President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberia President François Hollande, France Dignitaries are served traditional Moroccan mint tea Dignitaries from Oman Around the Venue Delegates gather for the start of the high-level segment A red carpet is rolled out for dignitaries UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Peter Thomson, President of the UN General Assembly, arrive at the venue Salaheddine Mezouar, COP 22/CMP 12 President, and UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Salaheddine Mezouar, COP 22/CMP 12 President, sychronize their watches for climate action President Michelle Bachelet, Chile President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir, Sudan Emir of Kuwait Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah