ENB @ CBD MSP, 19-21 November 2001, Montreal, Canada

		Open-ended intersessional meeting on the Strategic Plan, National Reports and the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity

Highlights for Monday, 19 November 2001

Delegates to the Open-ended Inter-sessional Meeting on the Strategic Plan, National Reports and Implementation (MSP) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) met in a morning Plenary to hear opening statements, address organizational matters and make general comments on the strategic plan. In the afternoon, delegates met in two working groups, with Working Group I (WG-I) considering the strategic plan and Working Group II (WG-II) addressing implementation and operations of the Convention. Above photo: The dias during the opening plenary, from L-R Paul Chabeda, Hamdallah Zedan, Reuben Olembo, and Olivier Jalbert.

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	Reuben Olembo (right), on behalf of the President of the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP), opened the meeting. He reviewed the meeting's main objective to develop a strategic plan covering the period of 2002-2010.

	CBD Executive Secretary Hamdallah Zedan (right) expressed gratitude to Denmark, the European Commission, Norway, Sweden, and the UK for their financial contribution. He highlighted progress achieved during SBSTTA-7's deliberations, and the overall achievements of the Convention regarding biosafety, access and benefit sharing, and forest biodiversity.

	Paul Chabeda, on behalf of UNEP Executive Director, Klaus Töpfer, stressed: the importance of the meeting; the need for effective tools to implement the Convention at the grassroots level; and the center-stage position of global biodiversity at the forthcoming WSSD.

	ORGANIZATION OF WORK:

	HAITI, on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries (GRULAC), observed that most countries had only one delegate present and suggested that delegates meet in Plenary throughout the meeting.

	The Chair of the Subsidiary Body of Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA), Jan Plesník (Czech Republic) (left), noted the need for a result-oriented strategic plan and said that the plan should include emerging issues.

	John Neville (SEYCHELLES), presented the conclusions of a workshop on the strategic plan held from 28-30 May 2001, in the Seychelles. He highlighted the plan's proposed structure, including: a mission statement; a vision composed of three elements reflecting the CBD's objectives; operational goals for each element of the vision; action plans to achieve each operational goal; and monitoring, reporting, assessment and review, and communication.

	PLENARY:

	Delegates made general remarks on the strategic plan. Most delegates supported the plan's structure. JAMAICA said the plan should be restricted to issues needing collective action by Parties, such as target-setting, implementation and review of decisions.

	MEXICO stressed the need for a balanced plan that reflects priorities and, with NAMIBIA, for a focus on implementation.

	The PHILIPPINES (right) said that outcomes should be measurable, realistic, obtainable, and time-bound.

	WORKING GROUP I
	STRATEGIC PLAN: Chair Peter Schei (Norway) (right) introduced UNEP/CBD/MSP/2. On the plan's structure, delegates suggested including an introductory section and sections on: linkages to the scientific community; obstacles/challenges; implementation; capacity building; and a chapeau to the proposed operational goals to address cross-cutting issues.

	WORKING GROUP II
	IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CBD: Chair Elaine Fisher (Jamaica) (left) opened WG-II's discussion on implementation of the CBD (UNEP/CBD/MSP/4). Regarding development and adoption of national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAP), BURUNDI and the UK noted the need to consult with various stakeholders. IRAN suggested making NBSAPs available through the CHM.

	CBD Secretariat web site with MSP official documents and Information for participants (doc and pdf) Preparation of the Strategic Plan for the Convention National Reports ENB Summary of CBD SBSTTA-7 ( HTML or PDF ) ENB Web Daily Coverage of CBD SBSTTA-7 Managing Biodiversity in Agricultural Ecosystems ENB's Introduction to CBD German CHM COP Decisions Database