September 11, 2003 marked the entry into force of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. This year's anniversary theme is "The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety: Five years of global cooperation towards sustainable development". More than 140 countries have ratified the Protocol which is among the world's key international environmental instruments to ensure that modern biotechnology is developed and applied in an environmentally sound manner. It aims to improve safety in the transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms.

In an anniversary statement, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said "I congratulate the 147 Parties to the Protocol for their achievements over the past five years, and urge those countries that have not done so to ratify or accede to the Protocol without delay. Let us reaffirm our commitment to the Protocol, and let us strive even harder to devise the additional measures and initiatives that will be needed to ensure its full implementation."

Details of the anniversary are available at
http://www.cbd.int/biosafety/anniversary/.
Download  the U.N. Secretary General's speech at
http://www.cbd.int/doc/speech/2008/sp-2008-09-11-cp-unsg-en.pdf