Decision COP IX/25

The Conference of the Parties,

Considering the important role that regional and subregional mechanisms play in promoting the implementation of the three objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity, as indicated in paragraphs 11-13 of decision VII/30,

Emphasizing that South-South cooperation is important for development in the context of the Millennium Development Goals, the World Summit on Sustainable Development, and the 2005 World Summit Outcomes as a complement to, and supported by, North-South cooperation, and that triangular Cooperation mechanisms are often of particular effectiveness,

Noting the report on the brainstorming meeting of experts on South-South cooperation convened by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Montreal, from 6 to 8 November 2006, (UNEP/CBD/COP/9/INF/11), which developed a draft framework for South‑South cooperation on biodiversity,

1. Notes the initiative of developing countries to prepare, in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and other relevant organizations, programmes and agencies, such as the United Nations Development Programme, and subject to the availability of funding, a multi-year plan of action on biodiversity for development, based on the framework for South-South cooperation on biodiversity as reported in document UNEP/CBD/COP/9/INF/11;

2. Encourages developing country Parties to engage in South-South Cooperation on the issue of biodiversity, complemented and, supported by North-South cooperation, and to incorporate biodiversity concerns in regional and subregional cooperation agreements and associated activities;

3. Encourages Parties to establish, as appropriate, multi-stakeholder collaborative partnerships between Parties and other countries at subregional and regional levels to address biodiversity concerns at regional, subregional, national and subnational levels;

4. Invites Parties and other Governments, regional and international organizations to support the organization of a South-South cooperation forum on biodiversity for development at the margins of the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya, Japan;

5. Invites Parties, other Governments, regional and international organizations to support South-South Cooperation by facilitating projects and programmes aimed at joint conservation and sustainable use of cross border ecosystems to further contribute towards halting biodiversity loss;

6. Requests the Executive Secretary to report on the preparation of the multi-year plan of action on biodiversity for development at the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.