11 October 2011: The Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Ahmed Djoghlaf, visited India to discuss preparations for the 11th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 11) to the CBD and its sixth meeting serving as the Meeting of the Parties (COP/MOP 6) to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.

The meetings will be held in October 2012, in Hyderabad, India. During Djoghlaf’s visit, which took place from 5-8 October 2011, India’s Minister of Environment and Forests Jayanthi Natarajan reiterated India’s commitment to implement the three CBD objectives. She said the slogan of COP 11, “Prakruti Rakshati Rakshita” (“Nature Protects if She is Protected”), appropriately reflects the reverence for biodiversity that is deeply rooted in Indian culture. [CBD Communiqué]