COP16: Colombia begin preparations for Biodiversity conference.

Official summit slogan unveiled

By Samuel Ogunsona

Colombia, the South American country has launched preparations for COP 16 summit.

No fewer than 12 thousand visitors from 198 countries around the world are expected to attend the historic event.

The Colombia Minister of Environment, Susana Muhamad, has also announced the official visit of the delegates of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

In advance preparation for the conference later this year in Colombia, the delegates announced “Peace with Nature” as the official slogan.

The CBD delegation will be in Colombia until January 26 to analyze logistical aspects for the event and also to define which city will host the summit.

However, six cities have shown interest to host the COP16 event.

The Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Susana Muhamad, together with David Cooper, Acting Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, officially launched the preparations for what will be the most important event in the history of the environmental sector in the country, the COP 16 on Biodiversity to be held between October 21 and November 1 of this year.

Susana Muhamad who announced the slogan said it requires a robust plan to host the submit.

“It is a challenge for the country, to hold for the first time a summit of this magnitude, which also represents an opportunity for the country. We have decided that the slogan of this summit will be ”Peace with Nature’ is a people’s summit where we want the voices of those who are taking care of the biodiversity of the territories to be heard by the governments. After this visit we will define the host city, this event requires a very robust plan of joint work, not only with all state entities, but with the private sector, communities, civil society and mayors across the country, because this is the year of biodiversity in Colombia”

David Cooper, Acting Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity said, “We need the leadership of President Petro and Minister Susana Muhamad to push all actors in the world to be able to implement the Kunming-Montreal global biodiversity framework, which was adapted in 2022. This COP16 in Colombia would be the first COP since the adoption of this global framework and we hope that countries will demonstrate that they are applying this framework and thus face the biodiversity crisis.”