Decision COP 16/30

The Conference of the Parties,

Recalling decisions IV/17 of 15 May 1998, VII/33 and VII/34 of 20 February 2004, VIII/10 of 31 March 2006 and X/45 of 29 October 2010, including the revised administrative arrangements between the United Nations Environment Programme and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity contained in annex I to decision X/45,

Noting that the recruitment process for the position of Executive Secretary of the Convention is also subject to the Staff Regulations and Staff Rules, including provisional Staff Rules, of the United Nations and the Financial Regulations and Rules of the United Nations, including those that relate to human resources,

Emphasizing the need for inclusive, transparent and objective processes in the appointment of future executive secretaries, in line with section II of the revised administrative arrangements between the United Nations Environment Programme and the Secretariat, and the need to clarify the procedure and relevant guidelines to ensure that the Parties, through the Bureau of the Conference of the Parties, are able to fulfil their consultative role, in particular concerning the terms of reference for the position and the review of the recommended candidate,

Recalling that, in the revised administrative arrangements between the United Nations Environment Programme and the Secretariat, it is stipulated that the Executive Secretary is appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations as recommended by the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme in consultation with the Conference of the Parties through its Bureau,

Recalling also the call in its decision VIII/10 for a transparent and objective process for the appointment of the Executive Secretary and its endorsement in its decision X/45 of the revised administrative arrangements between the United Nations Environment Programme and the Secretariat, in which it was stipulated that the process for the appointment of the Executive Secretary would be transparent and objective,

1. Welcomes the appointment of Astrid Schomaker effective from 1 July 2024;

2. Clarifies that, for the purposes of interpreting paragraph 2 of the revised administrative arrangements between the United Nations Environment Programme and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Conference of the Parties will consider itself properly consulted in the process for the appointment of the Executive Secretary of the Convention, through its Bureau, if all the following actions have been undertaken:

3. Decides that the term of office for all executive secretaries shall be two years, with the possibility of reappointment for one additional term, on the basis on performance.