16/05/2008
PRESS RELEASE - PARTICIPATION OF THE AMAZON COOPERATION TREATY ORGANIZATION (ACTO) IN COP 9

The Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO), in the context of its responsibility to contribute to the sustainable development of the Amazon basin from an integral and ecosystem perspective, will participate in the Ninth Conference of the Parties (CoP9) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which will take place in Bonn, Federal Republic of Germany, from 19 to 30 May 2008. The CBD constitutes the first global agreement to address all aspects of biological diversity, genetic resources, species and ecosystems. It recognizes, for the first time, that the conservation of biological diversity is “a common concern of humankind” and an integral part of the development process. The objective of the Ninth Conference of the Parties is to review progress in the implementation of the Convention and to deepen and invigorate the commitments made. ACTO could not fail to participate in this important event, not only because of the nature and scope of the mandates in the area of biodiversity that it has received from its member countries, but also because COP-9 is an adequate and opportune context to show to the world the products that the Organization is starting to deliver to the benefit of the sustainable development of Amazonia related to the various themes considered by the Convention and that have been elaborated in the framework of the Project “Strengthening of Joint Regional Management for the Sustainable Use of Amazonian Biodiversity”, the Regional Amazon Program and other ongoing initiatives. Therefore, ACTO is organizing side events on BioTrade (Wednesday 21 May) and Tourism and Protected Areas (Thursday 22 May), where progress in programs and initiatives committed in these themes will be presented. Also, a closed event will be held, exclusively for official delegates of ACTO member countries, to present the proposal for the Regional Plan of Action Plan for Amazonian Biodiversity (Tuesday 20 May) In addition, jointly with UNCTAD, ACTO is organizing the permanent exposition Sala Andes-Amazonía, to provide a venue for the promotion of initiatives concerning the sustainable use of biodiversity that favour fair and equitable benefit sharing. This exposition will be open to the public during the whole Cop-9. Finally, on Saturday 17 May, at the eve of the initiation of the work of this COP, ACTO will facilitate a policy dialogue with its member countries that will provide an opportunity, based on the consideration of the different items on the agenda of this COP, to favour possible areas of consensus to facilitate the negotiating progress of the Conference and establish a basis to build and develop a common agenda that integrates the interests of the eight Amazon countries. This policy dialogue will culminate with the meeting of environment ministers of the Amazon countries that will take place on 29 May. Both meetings will be exclusively for official delegates of the ACTO member countries.