Information

1. Requests the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to present the outcome of the International Technical Conference on the Conservation and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture to the third meeting of the Conference of the Parties and to make the Global Plan of Action and State of the World reports available to that meeting;

2. Welcomes the offer of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to link its information mechanisms to the clearing-house mechanism under the Convention;

3. Decides to invite its President to transmit the statement contained in the annex to this decision to the International Technical Conference on the Conservation and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.

1. The planet's essential goods and services depend on the variety and variability of genes, species, populations and ecosystems. If humanity is to have a future on this Earth, biological diversity must be conserved so that these functions and services are maintained. The current decline in biodiversity is largely the result of human activity and represents a serious threat to human development. Despite efforts to conserve the world's biological diversity, its depletion has continued. The entry into force of the Convention provides an international framework through which to address this depletion which causes threats to ecosystems that are vital for the sustenance of human societies in all countries. By becoming Parties to the Convention, Governments have committed themselves to the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.

2. The Convention on Biological Diversity advances the conservation of biological diversity and the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the use of genetic resources, while recognizing the important role of other conventions to the objectives of the Convention.

3. The Conference of the Parties guides the implementation of the provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity, reviews the further development of matters relating to the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources and, where appropriate, brings these within the purview of the Convention.

4. Within the overarching framework established by the Convention on Biological Diversity, it is the case that there are many international forums through which the objectives of the Convention can be. progressed. The Conference of the Parties urges all such forums to work together to achieve these objectives.

5. In this regard, the Conference of the Parties recognizes the substantial contribution that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations can make, applying its experience and skills to tackle the very important issues associated with genetic resources for food and agriculture.

6. It is important for us to recognize that there are very many Parties to the Convention that are also members of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. This forms a strong basis of common ground from which the Convention and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations could build complementary programmes in the area of genetic resources for food and agriculture.

7. At its second meeting, held in Jakarta from 6 to 17 November 1995, the Conference of the Parties considered advice provided by its Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice on the contribution of the Convention to the preparation for the forthcoming International Technical Conference on the Conservation and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.

8. As a result of these considerations, the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity wishes to draw to the attention of the fourth International Technical Conference on the Conservation and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture the following considerations:

(a) The comprehensive nature and the multidisciplinary character of the Convention on Biological Diversity, aimed at addressing all facets of biological diversity within its threefold objectives: the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of its benefits;

(b) The importance attached by the Conference of the Parties to the conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture and their use in a sustainable manner;

(c) The recognition that plant genetic resources for food and agriculture are critical components of biological diversity;

(d) In recognition of the need to assess the current situation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture and identify gaps and needs for priority action, the Conference of the Parties welcomes the preparation of the Global Plan of Action and the State of the World's Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture;

e) The need to strengthen capacity-building, in particular in developing countries;

(f) The relevance of the issues to be considered by the fourth International Technical Conference on the Conservation and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture to the provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity;

(g) The Conference of the Parties' support for the recognition by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations of the need to make the processes of the fourth International Technical Conference on the Conservation and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and the Convention on Biological Diversity mutually supportive and complementary, in harmony with the provisions of the Convention.

(h) The sovereign rights of States over their natural resources.

9. Recalling the recommendations of Agenda 21, chapter 14(g) and of Resolution 3 of the Nairobi Final Act, the Conference of the Parties urges the International Technical Conference to make every effort to promote complementarity and consistency between the outcome of the Conference and the provisions of the Convention, making them mutually supportive and enhancing the success of both.

10. The Conference of the Parties compliments the Secretariat of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations responsible for the programme and processes for the fourth International Technical Conference on the Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture on its exemplary preparatory process based upon national reports, regional and subregional meetings leading to a global assessment of biological diversity of unique ecosystems. The process provides an innovative model.

11. The Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity hopes that this statement will be helpful to the International Technical Conference on the Conservation and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and plans to consider, at its third meeting, the outcome of the Conference.