1. At the outset, allow me to express our sincere thanks to the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity for convening this important Experts Meeting for South-South Cooperation on Biodiversity for Development. Let me also express our sincere appreciation to the Government of the Republic of Korea for the warm welcome, and for the excellent arrangements made for hosting this important meeting.

2. We are here today to follow up a process initiated by the Group of 77 in 2006 on South-South cooperation on biodiversity for development which led to the adoption of the Multi-Year Plan of Action (MYPA), a pan which would certainly contribute to bringing developing countries one step closer to accomplishing the goals set by the Biodiversity Convention. The MYPA was welcomed by the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-10) held in Nagoya, Japan in October 2010, and our main goal in this meeting is to further discuss modalities of South-South and triangular cooperation and the roadmap towards the possible adoption of the MYPA by the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties.

3. As you all know, Biodiversity and the associated ecosystem services are fundamental assets for the economies of the G-77 member states. Additionally, these ecosystem services are critical to reaching the Millennium Development Goals related to economic development including health and poverty eradication.

4. Therefore, the MYPA is a solid platform for the exchange of scientific and technical knowledge and support mainstreaming biodiversity concerns into regional and sub-regional cooperation agreements, as well as development programmes, and other interregional South-South initiatives. The Plan of Action will certainly strengthen South-South cooperation and complement North-South cooperation in the process of implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity. Furthermore, it would also provide a set of measures and mechanisms to support the goal of conservation of biodiversity taking into account progress made in achieving the relevant MDGs.

5. Our main concern in this gathering is to reflect on the means of implementation of the Plan as well as other resources that will contribute to its execution. It is suggested that the G-77 identify a particular funding avenue that would be oriented specifically towards biodiversity for development and to funding the implementation of this Plan of Action including GEF and other existing mechanisms such as Perez-Guerrero Trust Fund and the UN Fund for South-South Cooperation.

6. As we work to further enhance South-South and triangular cooperation on this important biodiversity agenda, it is crucial to address the root causes of biodiversity loss and take action to halt this decline. It is important to facilitate the exchange of information, technology, lessons learned among our member states regarding the integration of biodiversity into development sectors as well as cross-sectoral policies for sustainable development and poverty eradication. In this context, the role of the G-77-Consortium on Science, Technology and Innovation for the South (COSTIS) is crucial for the successful implementation of the programme.

7. Finally, it is essential to enhance cooperation with relevant sub-regional bodies to promote the integration of biodiversity into broader initiatives at regional and inter-regional levels. We are confident that this strategic partnership will further enhance the implementation of the MYPA and ultimately strengthen South-South cooperation including triangular cooperation.

I wish all success to your deliberations.

Thank you.