Chile, Belgium join forces in bid to host UN biodiversity secretariat

SANTIAGO, Nov. 6 - Chile and Belgium said on Friday they have joined their bids to host the secretariat of the UN's Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), proposing the Chilean port of Valparaiso as headquarters and Brussels as the base for the treaty's information-exchange mechanism.• Valparaiso would host the secretariat's main functions, including implementation of the treaty's financial mechanism, the two countries said in a joint statement.• Brussels meanwhile would house the physical and technical infrastructure and host meetings of the subsidiary bodies.• The countries said the joint bid aims to "facilitate an effective decision" at COP1.• The BBNJ Agreement, adopted in 2023 after a decade of negotiations, is a UN body that seeks to protect marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, covering about two-thirds of the ocean's surface.• The decision will be taken at the first Conference of the Parties in New York in January 2027, where China's Xiamen will compete as a rival candidate. REUTERS