11 May 2011: Guatemala, Indonesia, India, Japan, Norway, South Africa, Switzerland and Tunisia signed the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (ABS) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) during a signing ceremony held in conjunction with the High-level Segment of the 19th session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD 19).

The eight signatures brought the total number of signatories to 21. The signing ceremony was presided over by Joseph Deiss, President of the 65th session of the UN General Assembly, who expressed the hope that the Protocol will take effect as early as possible through the ratification of at least 50 CBD Parties.

CBD Executive Secretary Ahmed Djoghlaf said: “Today’s signing ceremony by eight additional parties, including Japan and India in their capacity as presidents of COP 10 and COP 11 respectively, is a major step towards the entry into force of the Nagoya Protocol and a clear demonstration of the partnership embedded in the spirit and letter of this historical treaty.” [CBD Press Release][Speech of Joseph Deiss]