On 29 January 2000 the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety was adopted as a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity. Named after the Colombian city of Cartagena, where the final round of negotiations was launched, the objective of the Protocol is to protect biological diversity from the risks posed by living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology.

Today, the governing body of the Protocol began a five-day meeting in Nagoya, Japan, to discuss and adopt further decisions, including international rules and procedures on liability and redress for damage resulting from living modified organisms. The meeting is also scheduled to adopt a "Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety" as well as a 10-year strategic plan.

Addressing the expected 4,000 delegates, UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director, Achim Steiner said:" it is now 10 years since its adoption in 2000, and the Protocol has significantly grown in size to embrace 160 Parties with Guinea Bissau and Somalia becoming parties in May and July 2010, respectively."

"I would also like to urge Parties to continue their commitment to strengthen the Secretariat to ensure priority areas of enforcement and capacity-building provide visible, rapid and transformational results."

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