SWG-I Co-Chairs Shikongo (above left) and Burton presented the SWG-I report (UNEP/CBD/WG-ABS/3/SWG.I/L.1 and Add.1) which was adopted without amendment. Plenary then adopted the SWG-II report (UNEP/CBD/WG-ABS/3/SWG.II/L.1, Add.1 and Add.2), presented by SWG-II Co-Chairs Ivars (above right) and Santos, without amendment.

CANADA announced financial support to the meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Article 8(j) (traditional knowledge). Above photo L-R: Anne Daniel, Campbell Davidson, and Timothy Hodges (Canada)

India, on behalf of the LMMC, expressed hope that Parties will be in a position to make specific recommendations at the next meeting of the Working Group. Above photo: Desh Deepak Verma and Suresh Chandra (India)

As a host of the fourth meeting of the Working Group on ABS, Spain announced its offer to host the next meeting of the Working Group on Article 8(j), to be held back-to-back with ABS-4, in March 2006. 
Above photo: Miguel Aymerich (Spain)

The IIFB expressed its deep concern that the international ABS regime may result in violation of the rights of indigenous peoples.

The US said the meeting laid a sound foundation for future negotiations, and urged Parties to draw upon processes on ABS in their home countries. Above photo: Doug Neumann (US)

Alexander Shestakov, (above) Rapporteur  then presented a tribute to the government and people of Thailand (UNEP/CBD/WG-ABS/3/L.7), which was adopted by acclamation.

A UNEP representative stressed that the main message of their opening statement was the need for mutual supportiveness between multilateral environmental agreements, noting that views expressed were duly taken, and reiterated UNEP’s role in the ABS process. Above photo: Margaret Oduk (UNEP)

CBD Executive Secretary Zedan noted that negotiation of the regime will be a complex task, but the meeting represented an encouraging start, and expressed appreciation to the countries providing funds to enable developing country participation and offering to host relevant intersessional meetings. 

Above photo L-R: The morning dais of SWG-I with Valerie Normand (CBD), SWG-I Co-Chair Geoff Burton (Australia), SWG-I Co-Chair Sem Shikongo (Namibia), Dan Ogolla (CBD) and CBD Executive Secretary Hamdallah Zedan 

SWG-I Co-Chair Sem Shikongo (Namibia) (right) with SWG-I Co-Chair Geoff Burton (Australia)  introduced a revised conference room paper (CRP) on the international regime on access and benefit-sharing. Co-Chair Shikongo said the CRP contains different options on the scope and objectives of the regime. He added that options for grouping elements into clusters should be moved to the section containing potential additional elements, because of amendments in the substance of the elements.

Above photo L-R: Dan Ogolla (CBD) and CBD Executive Secretary Hamdallah Zedan 

Above photo: Delegates from the Like Minded Mega-Diverse Countries (far left) and the EU (far right) in a huddle to consult on language regarding options for clustering the elements of the international regime.  

Above photo: SWG-I Co-Chair Shikongo (Namibia)(center) with CBD Executive Secretary Hamdallah Zedan and delegates from the LMMC and the EU.

The EU insisted on removing the alternative option, noting that the Friends of the Co-Chairs group had agreed that the substance of the elements remain the same as in annex 2 of COP decision VII/19 D annex 2.

The Like-Minded Megadiverse Countries opposed removing an alternative option on clustering the elements, noting that the Friends of the Co-Chairs group had agreed that such options would be included in the section on elements.

Above photo L-R: SWG-I Co-Chair Shikongo (Namibia) listentening intently to the views of the EU and LMMC represented by Hans Hoogeveen (The Netherlands) and Gurdial Singh (Malaysia) respectively.

SWG-II Co-Chair Birthe Ivars (Norway) (right)  with SWG-II Co-Chair Orlando Rey (Cuba) (left) presented a revised conference room paper on measures to support compliance with prior informed consent of the Party providing genetic resources and mutually agreed terms on which access was granted. She said it represents the result of difficult negotiations in a Friends of the Co-Chairs group and drew attention to a bracketed reference to derivatives, in the context of an invitation to Parties and others to undertake analytical work on misappropriation of genetic resources and traditional knowledge. Delegates approved the document as a package.

Above photo L-R: Franz Dejon, Soledad Aguilar, Stefan Jungcurt, Xenya Cherny, Sarantuyaa Zandaryaa and Elsa Tsioumani