Notification 2019-089

Dear Madam/Sir, As you may recall, the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from Their Utilization was adopted on 29 October 2010 in Nagoya, Japan, as a supplementary agreement to the Convention to further advance the third objective of the Convention. The Protocol entered into force on 12 October 2014 and, on the same day, the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol (MOP 1) was opened and held until 16 October 2014 in conjunction with the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention. The entry into force of the Nagoya Protocol marked the achievement of the first element of the Aichi Biodiversity Target. I would like to pay tribute to the Government of India for the remarkable leadership it offered, in its capacity as the President of COP 11 and MOP 1 to the Nagoya Protocol. India played a pivotal role in the entry into force of Nagoya Protocol and the achievement of the first part of Aichi Target 16. India has also made a huge contribution in advancing the implementation of the Protocol by, among other things, making available nearly two thirds of the total number of internationally recognized certificate of compliance (741 out of the total 1109) that have been published so far in the Access and Benefit-sharing Clearing-House. I am pleased to inform you that a total of 122 Parties to the Convention have ratified or acceded to the Protocol to date. Certificates, in all, have been issued by 18 countries. They are essential mechanisms for the functioning of the unique monitoring system established under the Protocol. Also, 12 checkpoint communiqués have been issued by five countries so far. While there is so much that remains to be done, Parties as well as non-Parties are making steady progress in establishing legislative, administrative or policy measures on access and benefit-sharing and in putting in place the necessary institutional arrangements. The Secretariat is planning to undertake some communication and outreach activities to mark the 10-year anniversary of the adoption of the Protocol, including organizing a special event at the margins of the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties in October 2020. I would like to invite all Parties, other Governments, indigenous peoples and local communities, international organizations and other stakeholders to mark the date and inform the Secretariat of any events or activities planned or organized for that purpose. I encourage you all to use the events as opportunity to revitalize your efforts in instituting and implementing effective access and benefit-sharing measures. I take this opportunity to congratulate all Parties to the Convention that have already ratified or acceded to the Protocol and urge others to do so during this key year in the life of the Protocol. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points and ABS National Focal Points, international organizations, indigenous peoples and local communities and relevant stakeholders