The fourth open-ended workshop on sustainable use of biological diversity, which took place from 6-8 May 2003 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia was attended by government-nominated experts, representatives of international organizations, NGOs, and resource persons.

Participants addressed in plenary organizational issues, the workshop’s mandate, the outcome of three previously held regional workshops on the issue, and a synthesis of case-studies and views submitted to the Secretariat. They established two working groups that considered practical ways for measuring biodiversity components and their decline, and further developed practical principles and operational guidelines for the sustainable use of biodiversity. The outcome of the workshop, the “draft Addis Ababa Principles and Guidelines for the Sustainable Use of Biodiversity” will be submitted to CBD SBSTTA-9 in November 2003. The report of the workshop can be accessed at: http://www.biodiv.org/doc/meetings/suse/wssuse-04/official/wssuse-04-04-en.pdf