Cali, October 30, 2024 – The voices of communities, companies, parliamentarians and academia were heard by the representatives of the High-Level Segment of the COP16 on Biodiversity, which closed with the presentation of the declarations achieved during the last week in different discussion spaces in both the Green Zone and the Blue Zone.
In this regard, the president of COP16, Susana Muhamad, stated that she received 39 declarations, manifestos and public policy documents that have been organized and developed before and during COP16.
During the closing ceremony of the High-Level Segment, which was attended by ministers and representatives from more than 135 countries, the declarations of indigenous peoples, Afro-descendants, private sector, academia, women and parliamentarians were presented.
“These statements that I have received as president and that are classified, organized and translated will be published because they are a living testimony of the mobilization of people and sectors here at COP16 and can be a great contribution, not only for the negotiations, which are about to end, but especially for the implementation of the NBSAPs,” said Muhamad.
In addition, the president of COP16 assured that with these contributions, countries will be able to move forward with a post-COP agenda that involves all stakeholders to take action.

Inauguration of the High Level segment with the presence of several heads of state.
The High Level Segment receives the observations of the People's COP
These statements are a reflection of the great mobilization called by the Colombian Government and that materializes today this COP of biodiversity as the COP of the People, a summit that put at the center the voice of the citizens and their contributions to make Peace with Nature.
By the way, the executive secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Astrid Schomaker, emphasized that in the Blue Zone and the Green Zone, “in the heart of Cali, we have also witnessed the greatest mobilization of the whole society in favor of biodiversity. COP16 is, in fact, the COP of the People. The citizens of Cali and around the world have come together to defend nature. Our work on biodiversity has undoubtedly become the talk of the town”.
With the participation of the spokespersons of these sectors, the COP of the People materialized, where communities and civil society actors were heard by decision makers in the Blue Zone.
The declarations were presented by: Hernando García, director of the Humboldt Institute on behalf of academia; Mauricio Cabrera, vice-minister of the Environment of Colombia, who read the document of the parliamentarians of the world; Javier Díaz, president of Bancóldex, of the Financing and Biodiversity Forum; Maritza López, for the companies; María Yolanda Campo, representative of the indigenous authorities and Absalón Suárez, who gave the conclusions of the Afro-descendant International Forum.