July 2011: The regional launch for Africa of the UN Decade on Biodiversity was celebrated at the offices of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in conjunction with observance of the UN Decade for Deserts and the Fight against Desertification. The African launch was preceded by the celebration of the UN Decade on Biodiversity in South America.

The Africa launch, held on 22 July 2011, was attended by more than 200 ambassadors, diplomats, and representatives of UN agencies and other international organizations, who gathered to celebrate biodiversity and join efforts to halt land degradation, demonstrating the synergy between the biodiversity and the land-degradation agendas.

The South America launch, held in Quito, Ecuador, on 15 July 2011, marked the beginning of celebrations of the Decade in South America.

The UN General Assembly, in resolution 65/161, declared the period 2011-2020 to be the UN Decade on Biodiversity, “with a view to contributing to the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity” for the same years.

The UN Decade for Deserts and the Fight against Desertification runs from January 2010 to December 2020, to promote action aimed at protecting drylands. [CBD Communiqué on Africa Launch] [CBD Executive Secretary Statement on Occasion of South America Launch]