A/RES/53/190 Page 2 the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources, including by appropriate access to genetic resources and appropriate transfer of relevant technologies, taking into account all rights over those resources and to technologies, and by appropriate funding, Recognizing the contribution of indigenous and local communities to the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources, Emphasizing that the Convention is an important instrument for achieving sustainable development, taking into account its three objectives, and for promoting the ecosystem approach embodied in the Convention and the decisions of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention, Recalling the decisions adopted by the Conference of the Parties at its fourth meeting,4 relating to intellectual property rights and the relationship of the Convention with other international agreements, Noting the dialogue taking place in the Committee on Trade and Environment of the World Trade Organization on the provisions of the Agreement on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights,5 Encouraged by the work carried out to date under the Convention, and satisfied that most States and one regional economic integration organization have ratified the Convention, Taking note with appreciation of the generous offer of the Government of Colombia to host the sixth meeting of the Open-ended Ad hoc Working Group on Biosafety and the extraordinary meeting of the Conference of the Parties, which will take place at Cartagena de Indias from 15 to 19 February and on 22 and 23 February 1999, respectively, Recalling its invitation to the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity to report to the General Assembly on the result of future meetings of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention, Noting the importance of decision IV/6, in particular paragraph 11 thereof, adopted by the Conference of the Parties at its fourth meeting,4 1. Welcomes the results of the fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, held at Bratislava from 4 to 15 May 1998;4 2. Also welcomes decision IV/16, adopted by the Conference of the Parties at its fourth meeting,4 on the adoption of the programmes of work and the thematic approach adopted to guide its work in the development of the Convention for the foreseeable future, including its in-depth consideration of ecosystems; 4 See UNEP/CBD/COP/4/27, annex. 5 See Legal Instruments Embodying the Results of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations, done at Marrakesh on 15 April 1994 (GATT secretariat publication, Sales No. GATT/1994-7). /...