Outcomes of the Intergovernmental Meeting on Great Apes and First GRASP Council Meeting, 5-9 September 2005, Grand Hotel, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

The first Intergovernmental Meeting on Great Apes and the Great Apes Survival Project (GRASP) and the first GRASP Council Meeting was convened from 5-9 September 2005 in Kinshasa , Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), under the high patronage of His Excellency the President of the Republic, Mr. Joseph Kabila.

The meeting saw the participation of over 200 international delegates, as well as more than 300 participants from the DRC. Eighteen of the 23 great ape range states from Africa and Southeast Asia were represented, nine of these by Ministerial-level delegations. 29 GRASP non-governmental organization Partners attended the meeting, as well as seven donor countries (including the UK Minister of Biodiversity), the European Commission, the Central Africa Forest Commission (COMIFAC), three GRASP Patrons, three of the biodiversity-related conventions and representatives of the scientific community, indigenous groups and the private sector.

At the Intergovernmental Meeting, Ministers, heads of delegations, representatives of the biodiversity-related conventions, the European Commission , COMIFAC, UNEP, UNESCO, GRASP non-governmental organization Partners and other civil society and private sector representatives signed the Kinshasa Declaration, affirming political will at the highest level for the first time in the history of the great apes. Participants also adopted a global strategy for the survival of great apes, a set of rules to govern the organization of the GRASP Partnership and a revised workplan.

Report of the Meeting and other Documents

Kinsasha Declaration

Kinsasha Declaration Signature Form

International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Daily Reports and Summary Report

Statements Delivered

Media Coverage

Pre- Session Information

Photo Gallery