UN biodiversity summit opens under guerrilla threat in Colombia

By AFP
October 21, 2024
A worker at the venue where the COP16 conference will be held at the Pacific Event Centre in Yumbo, near Cali, Valle del Cauca department, Colombia. — AFP
A worker at the venue where the COP16 conference will be held at the Pacific Event Centre in Yumbo, near Cali, Valle del Cauca department, Colombia. — AFP

CALI, Colombia: The world´s biggest nature protection conference gets a ceremonial kickoff in Colombia on Sunday with host city Cali on high alert after threats from a guerrilla group.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will make a video address to guests gathered for the event attended by Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who on Friday said he was “nervous” about security.

The high-stakes UN biodiversity gathering officially opens Monday under the protection of thousands of Colombian police and soldiers, aided by UN and US security personnel.

Armed police could be seen patrolling the city center, conference venue and airport Sunday.

About 12,000 delegates from nearly 200 countries, including 140 government ministers and a dozen heads of state are due to attend the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), running until November 1.