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ADOPTION OF THE REPORT OF WORKING GROUP II (UNEP/CBD/IC/1/WG.II/L.1 and Add. 1)

The report of Working Group II was introduced on Friday morning by the Chair, who said that he had transformed the summaries he had given throughout the week at the conclusion of each topic, into recommendations of the Working Group.

INSTITUTION OR INSTITUTIONS OPERATING THE FINANCIAL MECHANISM: Recommendations included:

The financial mechanism should meet the requirements of Article 21 of the Convention, which established the financial mechanism in the first place. No further interpretation of this article should be necessary;

Channels of communication to the mechanism should be established;

There should be clear procedures for processing requests for funding;

The need for a regular flow of information;

The need for a capacity to respond quickly to funding requirements;

The need for cost-effectiveness and efficiency in its operations;

Funds should be replenished quickly;

Regular advice should be given to the financial mechanism on the resources needed; and

There should be possibilities for multiple sources of funding, in which information on practices and eligibility criteria applied by other institutions funding biodiversity-related projects would be relevant, as well as working relationships with these institutions.

RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR THE CONFERENCE OF PARTIES: It was agreed that all the observations would be taken into account by the Secretariat when it proposes a further draft for consideration by the Working Group at its next session. The Interim Secretariat was also asked to draw up draft financial rules governing the funding of the Secretariat for consideration at the next session of the ICCBD. With regard to a proposal for a study on the use of languages by the other treaty bodies, as well as within the United Nations system, it was noted that the matter could be pursued by the representatives themselves.

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