CM/Res.1572 (LXI)
RESOLUTION ON THE SIXTH AFRICAN MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON THE ENVIRONMENT (AMCEN) ON THE
CONVENTION ON BIODIVERSITY
The Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity, meeting in its Sixty-first Ordinary Session in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 23 to 27 January 1995,
Having considered the Report of the Secretary-General on the Sixth Conference of African Ministers responsible for the Environment (Doc. CM/1872 (LXI)),
Recalling the decisions of the 5th Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in November 1993, during which the Session inter-alia decided to convene a meeting at ministerial level to be preceded by an experts meeting, with a view of adopting an African Common Position especially in anticipation of the First Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biodiversity and considering other related environmental concerns of Africa,
Recognizing the primary importance of this meeting held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 24 to 26 October 1994, as well as the pertinence of the African Common Position it had adopted in anticipation of the First Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biodiversity,
Taking Note of the First Conference of the Parties held in Nassau, The Bahamas, from 28 November to 8 December 1994,
TAKES NOTE of the Report of the Secretary-General on the African ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) on the convention on Biodiversity;
COMMENDS the African ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) for organizing the meeting and for formulating an African Common Position on Biodiversity, and for other similar activities so far undertaken by AMCEN;
EXPRESSES SATISFACTION at the successful participation of Africa in the First conference of the Parties held in The Bahamas;
THANKS UNEP for its invaluable contribution which made it possible to convene the Special Session of AMCEN on Biodiversity on the one hand, and to ensure the participation of Africa in the First Conference of the Parties, on the other;
REQUESTS the Secretary-General to assist Member States in formulating their national and regional policies and in enhancing their capacity building in the areas of management and utilization of their genetic resources;
CALLS ON the Secretary-General to request the Bureau of AMCEN to present, at the next session of the Council of Ministers, a comprehensive report on the African Common Position, the conclusion of the First Conference of the Parties as well as the stakes of the Second Conference of the Parties, scheduled to take place in Indonesia in 1995;
MANDATES the Secretary-General to take, in collaboration with the Organization’s Members of the Join t AMCEN Secretariat, all necessary steps to convene a meeting of AMCEN to examine the results of the First Conference of the Parties and, in particular, consolidate the African Common Position prior to the Second Decisive Conference of the Parties;
REQUESTS the Secretary-General in collaboration with the Organizations of the Joint Secretariat to explore, in view of the entry into force of the Treaty establishing the African
Economic Community, how the activities to be carried out by Africa in the field of environment, including the implementation and follow-up of the Rio Decisions, can be undertaken in future within the context of the structures set up under Chapter IX of the Treaty as well as Article 25 thereof.