Comoros, Mongolia and the Syrian Arab Republic ratify Nagoya Protocol

Montreal, 6 June 2013 – Comoros, Mongolia and the Syrian Arab Republic became the most recent countries to ratify the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

This brings the total number of ratifications of the Nagoya Protocol to 18. They join Albania, Botswana, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, India, Jordan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mauritius, Mexico, the Federated States of Micronesia, Panama, Rwanda, the Seychelles and South Africa as countries that have ratified or acceded to the ground-breaking treaty.

The Nagoya Protocol will enter into force on the 90th day after the date of deposit of the 50th instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.

“With the ratifications by Comoros, Mongolia and the Syrian Arab Republic, it is clear that the momentum is building to bring into force the Nagoya Protocol ahead of COP 12 in South Korea, so the first meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol can take place in October 2014”, said Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Executive Secretary to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban-Ki-moon, as part of his message for the 2013 International Day for Biological Diversity, stated “I also call on all Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity who have not already done so, to ratify the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization, and therefore help us all to work toward the future we want.” His statement of support follows on his recent written messages to the Heads of State and Government, issued in April, urging ratification.

At the Trondheim Conference on Biodiversity which took place from 27 to 31 May, the Ministers of Environment of Norway and India as well as the Executive Secretary to the Convention on Biological Diversity encouraged Parties to the Convention to expedite their national processes towards ratifying the Nagoya Protocol and recalled that ratifying would enable countries to participate as Parties in the first meeting of the Parties to the Protocol and to play an important role in the decision-making process to support its implementation.

Countries wishing to obtain further information on how to become a Party to the Protocol can consult the following website: www.cbd.int/abs/becoming-party/