United Nations A/RES/57/237 General Assembly Distr.: General 31 January 2003 Fifty-seventh session Agenda item 84 (c) Resolution adopted by the General Assembly [on the report of the Second Committee (A/57/529/Add.3)] 57/237. Global biotechnology forum: Chile 2003 The General Assembly, Underlining that intergovernmental cooperation in science and technology is an important tool with which to enhance international cooperation, Stressing that international cooperation, including North-South as well as South-South cooperation, is an important means of offering viable opportunities to developing countries in their individual and collective pursuit of sustainable development, and of ensuring their effective and meaningful participation in the emerging global economic system, Recalling the relevant provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity 1 as well as the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity, 2 Recalling also the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (“Johannesburg Plan of Implementation”), 3 Taking note of decision IDB.26/Dec.8 adopted by the Industrial Development Board of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization at its twenty-sixth session, held at Vienna from 19 to 21 November 2002,4 1. Takes note of the proposal by the Government of Chile to host a global biotechnology forum in December 2003 for multi-stakeholder discussions under the auspices of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, in cooperation with other relevant organizations, and to take adequate measures towards its successful organization; 2. Encourages interested Member States to work with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, inter alia, through regional preparatory meetings and discussions with the Secretariat, to ensure that the forum has realistic _______________ 1 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1760, No. 30619. See UNEP/CBD/ExCOP/1/3 and Corr.1, part two, annex. 3 Report of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, South Africa, 26 August–4 September 2002 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.03.II.A.1 and corrigendum), chap. I, resolution 2, annex. 4 See GC.10/3, annex I. 2 02 55510