At the COP15 on biodiversity (7-19 December, Montreal), the European Union and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), partners under the Cotonou Agreement, will jointly support the adoption of an ambitious, comprehensive and transformative post-2020 global framework for biodiversity to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.
The two parties agreed on this at their 45th joint ministerial meeting within the ACP-EU Council on Tuesday 29 November in Brussels (see EUROPE 13071/8).
They are of the view that, to be successful, the future framework will need to include quantifiable targets, backed by a robust monitoring and review framework and adequate means to support its implementation.
Jiří Kozák, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, co-chair for the European side, recalled the EU mandate for these international negotiations (see EUROPE 13069/9, 13049/2) and indicated that the EU has doubled its external funding for global biodiversity with an investment of €7 billion, especially for vulnerable countries. “We stand ready to continue our engagement with our partners”, he said in a statement issued by the EU on Tuesday evening.
The OACPS called for a substantial increase in new, predictable, adequate and accessible financial resources for the effective implementation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, including the creation of a dedicated biodiversity fund as a key outcome from Montreal. During COP15, the OACPS, the EU and UNEP will co-organise a high-level event to discuss the implementation of the post-2030 global biodiversity framework.
The ACP ministers also called on the EU to support Vanuatu’s (and those of the OACPS) efforts, supported by Germany and Portugal, to obtain an consultative opinion from the International Court of Justice on climate change at the 77th United Nations General Assembly (see EUROPE 13055/9).
Hope for the post-Cotonou Agreement to be signed by May. Many other political issues were discussed at the ACP-EU Council, including the EU’s signature of the post-Cotonou agreement, which is still waiting for Hungary to withdraw its reservation.
The OACPS expressed concern about the delay of the post-Cotonou partnership agreement and hopes that all constraints will be overcome by May for it to be signed in Samoa next year.
The partners also discussed other common challenges, including the energy crisis and food insecurity in the context of the war in Ukraine. “The OACPS and EU states are facing major challenges, such as those related to global warming and the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as various conflicts affecting some of our countries, including the war in Ukraine”, said ACP Co-Chair Dr Amery Browne, Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago, according to an OACPS statement.
The joint meeting was not followed by a press conference. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)