Closing Statement of the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB)
Tenth Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity
Nagoya, Japan
October 29th, 2010
Mr. Chairman,
Honourable Ministers,
Executive Secretary of the CBD,Distinguished delegates,
Indigenous brothers and sisters,
Today I’m speaking on behalf of the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity.
After two weeks of continuous work, long discussions and many negotiations we reach the end of COP10. The
IIFB representatives, including indigenous women, have actively engaged in all these discussions with ourproposals and deliberations.
The IIFB welcomes the adoption of the Code of Ethical Conduct to ensure the respect for the cultural andintellectual heritage of indigenous peoples and local communities and urges Parties and stakeholders to utilize
the Code when engaging with Indigenous Peoples. We also welcome the focus on customary sustainable use in
the Programme of Work of article 8(j) and the theme for the in‐depth dialogue on ecosystem management,ecosystem services and protected areas.
We appreciate the accommodating spirit demonstrated by Parties in the midst of hard and intensive
negotiations in addressing the concerns and rights of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities. Though we
had to make compromises, we would like to acknowledge in particular the recognition of the right to full andeffective participation of ILCs in the decision making processes and implementation of the Strategic Plan andthe work done by IIFB on indicators.
We must stress that beyond the decisions of COP10, Parties must demonstrate their commitment to what has
been agreed and act so that 2020 targets does not become another failure! With due recognition and respectof our rights, especially the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, full and effective
participation and the recognition of traditional knowledge and customary sustainable use, we shall move
forward for the compliance of the objectives of the Convention.
Indigenous peoples are facing the negative impacts of climate change especially on our territories andbiodiversity. Parties need to take into account social and cultural aspects of economic and non‐economicincentives; otherwise they will likely fail to protect our biodiversity and our ways of life. To us, it means
resilience, the transfer of appropriate technology, capacity building and just and equitable distribution ofbenefits ‐ and above all respecting our right to self determination.
With the adoption of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit‐sharing, governments have put in place
responsibilities in international law with respect to genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge.
Indigenous peoples and local communities, already have spiritual values, ethical norms, customary laws andestablished rights guiding us about the use of our lands, territories, resources and traditional knowledge,
which must be respected. Parties have accepted to take measures in domestic law, to uphold customary andhuman rights of Indigenous Peoples and to protect traditional knowledge. But much more needs to be done toend biopiracy. We look forward to working with governments towards its just and meaningful implementation
We wish to acknowledge the hospitality of our local hosts, the government of Japan and our indigenous
brothers and sisters from Japan; the IIFB wishes to express its concern along with our brothers and sisters fromOkinawa with regard to the construction of a military base in Henoko/Oura Bay and its potential impacts on
the biodiversity.
Finally Mr. Chair, today at the end of the COP10, at the end of 2010, the international year of biodiversity, weare living in the future that was defined in 1992. We wonder what have we achieved? How long shall wecontinue to look into the future, while we need to start acting now!

Thank you, Mr. Chair.