On behalf of the European Commission and the Government of Norway, the Informal Stake- and Rightsholders' Exchange on the DSI Multilateral Mechanism and its Cali Fund was organized by the DSI Informal Dialogue Partnership. The Exchange was held at Hotel Martin’s Klooster in Leuven, Belgium, from 21st to 23rd September 2026. The Informal DSI Exchange, held ahead of CBD COP17, brought together stakeholders, rightsholders and negotiators to move the discussion on the Multilateral Mechanism (MLM) and Cali Fund from broad principles towards practical implementation. Participants recognised that Decision 16/2 provides the basic framework and that good progress has been made on institutional and procedural elements, but also identified unresolved legal, conceptual and operational questions that need further work. Proposed solution pathways adress (1) certificates of compliance, (2) a practical self-assessment/decision-tree tool for users, (3) proportionality regarding contributions and allocations, and (4) a structured intersessional testing phase. At the 23rd stake- and rightsholders had the opportunity to meet with the participants of the Negotiator’s Dialogue who were meeting from the 24th to the 25th of September at the same venue (see separate report) to discuss and elaborate on outstanding issues.

On behalf of the European Commission and the Government of Norway, the Informal DSI Negotiators' Dialogue on the DSI MLM and its Cali Fund was organized by the DSI Informal Dialogue Partnership. The Dialogue was held at Hotel Martin’s Klooster in Leuven, Belgium, from 23rd to 25th September 2026. The Dialogue brought together over twenty key negotiators from all global regions, as well as some recognized experts and members from UN secretariats to elaborate outstanding issues related to the DSI multilateral mechanism (MLM) and its Cali Fund in preparation for CBD COP17. On the first day of the Dialogue (23rd September), attendees met with the participants of the preceding Stake- and Rightsholders' Exchange to present key messages emerging from DSI users and IPLCs and to explore possible pathways towards consensus ahead of COP17. Participants discussed whether contributions should begin before the COP18 review, how far obligations should extend along value chains, possible bases for proportionate industry payments, the content and national recognition of certificates, the interface between the MLM and national ABS requirements, and how to balance legal provenance and transparency with research and open access. The negotiators'dialogue showed substantial convergence on the need to move pragmatically towards implementation, while important differences remain over the pace, parameters and safeguards. The solution pathways developed during the dialogue could provide possible ways to bridge these differences.

The webinar was co-hosted by the National Institute of Genetics of Japan, and the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) of Indonesia. About 100 participants from across the Asia-Pacific region exchanged views on the implementation of the DSI MLM and its Cali Fund ahead of CBD COP17. The discussion was explicitly framed as an informal exchange rather than an attempt to develop a common regional position. Participants broadly agreed that the priority at COP17 should be to move from the architecture established by Decision 16/2 towards practical implementation, while preserving open access to DSI and ensuring that benefit sharing contributes meaningfully to conservation, sustainable use and capacity development.

How is digital sequence information (DSI) reflected in national biodiversity priorities? This analysis reviews post-GBF NBSAPs from 105 CBD Parties, examining DSI, benefit-sharing and related capacity needs. It explores whether these NBSAPs could guide Cali Fund funding decisions, including support for indigenous peoples and local communities.