Information for participants for the 11th Session of the IPBES Plenary (IPBES 11)

The eleventh session of the Plenary of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (#IPBES11), will be hosted by the Government of Namibia at the Mercure and Mövenpick Hotels, Corner of Auas, 9000 Aviation Road, Windhoek, Namibia (Click to view on Google Maps). Meeting rooms and offices will be located within walking distance at the Conference Centre, Mercure  and Movenpick Hotels, Windhoek

The session will open on Tuesday, 10 December 2024, at 10 a.m. Central Africa Time (CAT/UTC+02:00) and close on Monday, 16 December 2024, at 6 p.m. Daily sessions will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Additional meetings may take place in contact groups.

Regional consultations and a Stakeholder Day are planned to be organized on Monday, 9 December 2024. Please refer to the daily schedule (https://www.ipbes.net/events/ipbes-11/schedule) and the Event App closer to the event for specific time and room allocation information. 

The regional consultation meetings are self-organized by the regional groupings. Bureau members from each region will coordinate the scheduling of the regional consultations that will take place during the event. Anybody wishing to participate in the Stakeholder Day is required to register separately for this event - #IPBES11 registration is not sufficient to join the Stakeholder Day. Should you wish to register for Stakeholder Day, please go to https://ipbes.net/events/ipbes-11-stakeholder-day

Please consult the annotated agenda published at https://www.ipbes.net/events/ipbes-11  

List of recommended hotels and accommodation facilities in Windhoek, Namibia: 

• Aloe Travel Lodge, https://www.all.accor.com
• Arebbusch Travel Lodge, https://www.arebbusch.com
• Auas City Hotel, https://www.auascityhotel.com
• Avani Hotel, https://www.avanihotels.com
• Belvedere Boutique Hotel, https://www.belvedere-boutiquehotel.com
• Casa Blanca Boutique Hotel, https://www.casablancahotel.com.na
• Casa Piccolo Hotel Pension, https://www.casa-piccolo.com
• Chameleon Backpackers, https://www.chameleonbackpackers.com
• Hilton Hotel, https://www.hilton.com
• Hotel Heinitzburg, https://www.heinitzburg.com
• Hotel Pension Christoph, https://www.pension-christoph.com
• Hotel Uhland, https://www.hoteluhland.com
• Klein Windhoek Guesthouse, https://www.kleinwindhoekguesthouse.com/
• Marigold Hotel, https://www.marigold-hotels.com
• Mercure Hotel, https://www.all.accor.com
• Movenpick Hotel, https://www.all.accor.com
• Protea Hotel Furstenhof, https://www.proteahotels.com 
• Protea Hotel Thuringerhof, https://www.proteahotels.com
• Roof of Africa, https://www.roofofafrica.eu
• The Elegant Guest House, https://www.the-elegant-collection.com
• The Weinberg Boutique Hotel, https://www.gondwana-collection.com
• Thule Hotel, https://www.hotelthule.com
• Utopia Boutique Hotel, https://www.naankusecollection.com
• Villa Moringa, https://www.villamoringaguesthouse.com
• Windhoek Country Club Resort, https://www.legacyhotels.co.za
• Windhoek Town Lodge, https://www.citylodgehotels.com

Participants are required to pay for their own accommodation. The payment terms and cancellation policies will vary depending on the hotels. Please take note of this when booking.

Food and beverages are not permitted inside any of the meeting rooms. Catering services will be available at Mercure Poolside and Mövenpick.

Warm and cold meals as well as soft and alcoholic beverages will be available on a self-paying basis.
Water dispensers will be provided at multiple locations of the meeting venue. Meeting participants are encouraged to bring water bottles to minimize waste.

Delegations wishing to organise receptions or group meals can contact Sergio Satchikuata, Tel.: + 264612967174, e-mail: [email protected].

The restaurants at Mercure and Movenpick will be open from 06h30 to 22h00 Central Africa Time (CAT/UTC+02:00) .

The IPBES secretariat is committed to enabling events at which participants can engage in an inclusive, respectful, healthy and safe environment and be treated with fairness and dignity.

By participating in this event, you agree to abide by the United Nations events Code of Conduct, which can be viewed here.

Each Member of the Platform is required to submit the official credentials of its representative(s), together with the names of alternate representatives and advisers, to the secretariat prior to the official opening. In accordance with the Rules of Procedure adopted by IPBES, the credentials must be issued by or on behalf of the Member’s Head of State or Government or Minister for Foreign Affairs consistent with each country’s policies and law. Each Member is encouraged to upload a copy of the credentials in advance of the meeting on https://www.ipbes.net/events/ipbes-11/nomination-letters-and-credentials. The original should be submitted as soon as possible, but no later than 24 hours after the opening of the session. Only Members that have submitted valid credentials will have the right to take part in decision making at the Plenary. Observer States are not required to submit credentials, but they are still required to present an official communication designating officials that participate at the event.

The original credentials should be handed to the secretariat at the registration desk at the venue by 10 December 2024.

Courtesy bus schedules: available here

Daily IISD coverage of the meeting will be made available here: https://enb.iisd.org/intergovernmental-science-policy-platform-biodiversity-ecosystem-services-ipbes11 

Follow IPBES on any of our social media platforms to view the latest event updates. Links to all our social media platforms (also in French and Spanish) are available here: https://linktr.ee/IPBES. 

Please tag us in your social media posts for increased visibility.
 

IPBES is able, upon request, to provide financial support for one representative from each developing country to cover travel expenses corresponding to the most economical and direct flights to Windhoek. IPBES will only be able to provide such funding for participants holding valid credentials or otherwise officially nominated by their government to attend the meeting. The nomination letter should spell out the name of the nominated delegate who should be receiving the funds.

Supported delegates should not purchase their own tickets without prior approval by the secretariat. Self-ticket requests should be addressed to [email protected] 

Supported delegates will need to provide their boarding pass stubs when claiming the daily subsistence allowance (DSA). Supported delegates who are required to pay for visas to enter Namibia are requested to send a copy of the visa receipt to mea-ipbes-travel@org and are also required to submit original receipts for reimbursement.

DSA payment for this meeting will be made through a value cash card. Therefore, the DSA entitlement is credited on the card and not received by cash. The card is a Master card that allows its holder to withdraw the full amount at any ATM machine or use it to pay the expenses at hotels, restaurants and shops. The secretariat will inform supported participants by email when the card is activated. Supported delegates are requested to bring some cash currency because the cash cards can take up to 2 days to be activated.

The DSA desk will be located at the lobby of Nossob. Opening hours for the DSA desk will be as follows:

• 8 December 2024: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. CAT
• 9 to 11 December 2024: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. CAT
• 12 to 16 December 2024: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. CAT

NOTE: All times above are Central Africa Time (CAT/UTC+02:00).

Working and information documents for the meeting are made available at https://ipbes.net/events/ipbes-11-plenary 

Duly registered participants and all national focal points will be granted permissions to view limited distribution documents. Document access permissions will be assigned to the accounts that were used to register the delegates to the meeting.

To make the meeting as environmentally friendly as possible, a paperless meeting system will be used, whereby participants are encouraged to access the designated website (https://ipbes.net/events/ipbes-11-plenary) for all pre-session and in-session documentation. To that end, participants are strongly encouraged to bring their personal laptops to the meeting and to ensure that their laptops have suitable power adapters and are loaded with up-to-date antivirus software.

Location: Namibia, officially known as the Republic of Namibia, is a country in southern Africa. Windhoek is the capital and largest city in the central part of the country. English is the only official language.

Currency: Namibian dollar (NAD) is the paper currency in Namibia. Namibian Dollars N$ is pegged to the South African Rand ($1 USD ≈ N$19). The South African Rand is accepted as legal tender in Namibia.

Credit cards: ATMs are widely available in Namibia, particularly in urban areas and tourist hotspots. Most ATMs accept international debit and credit cards, including Visa and Mastercard. Also, be mindful of potential ATM fees that your bank might charge for international transactions. There are three ATM machines at the Hosea Kutako International Airport. One is directly opposite the arrivals gate and two are at the exit.

Sim cards: If you would like to stay connected on your mobile device, you can purchase a sim card at the MTC outlet at the exit of the Hosea Kutako International Airport. There are plans to set up a tent at the meeting venue for sim card purchase.

Voltage: 220 – 240 volts AC 

Primary socket: The electrical sockets in Namibia are of the three-prong type, specifically type D and M. It is important to note that many adapters marketed as "world adapters" may not be compatible in Namibia. Instead, a special adapter designed for use in Namibia is required.

Standard time zone: Namibia is in Central Africa Time (CAT), which is UTC+2. Namibia does not observe daylight saving time, so the offset remains the same throughout the year.

Weather: In December, Windhoek, Namibia experiences its summer season, characterized by warm to hot temperatures and generally dry weather. Daytime temperatures usually range from 25°C to 35°C (77°F to 95°F).

Most delegates will arrive by air via Johannesburg, South Africa, Cape Town, South Africa or Frankfurt, Germany. International flights arrive at Windhoek’s Hosea Kutako International Airport, 42 km east of the capital. Delegates will need to request taxis at the Welcome desk. Information about advance booking and price list for airport transfers can be found on https://files.ipbes.net/ipbes-web-prod-public-files/2024-11/ipbes_11_airport_transfers.pdf. Some hotels offer shuttle services that can be requested in advance. Car rental services are also available at the airport.

Delegates who wish to use ride hailing services to move around Windhoek can look for “Yango” and “LEFA” in the mobile app stores. 

Delegates who wish to explore Namibia for a few days prior or after the conference, should note that there are a number of safari lodges near Windhoek that provide opportunities for game drives and game viewing. There are also daily flights to the coastal areas as well as to the lodges in the Namib Desert. Pre-and post tours can be booked through Extreme Adventures (https://junitasextremeadventures.com).

Bus Schedule and Routes: The transport pick up from recommended hotels is available on https://files.ipbes.net/ipbes-web-prod-public-files/2024-12/IPBES_TRANSPORT_SCHEDULE%20_%2009122024_19h00.pdf. The schedule will be updated following experiences on the first day.

The organizers shall not be responsible for health insurance coverage and participants must have adequate insurance to cover any medical services required.

Medical emergencies
For medical emergencies, please see staff at the Help Desk

Emergency numbers
Police 10 111
Fire brigade +264 61 211 111
Taxi Please see staff at the Help Desk

Hospitals in Windhoek
Provide a list of hospitals or procedure for getting to hospital.

• Lady Pohamba Private Hospital 
    Website: www.lpph.com.na
    Contact Number: +264 83 335 9000

• Roman Catholic Hospital
    Website: www.rchnam.com
    Contact Number: +264 61 270 2227

• Mediclinic Windhoek Hospital
   Website: www.mediclinic.co.za
   Contact Number: +264 61 433 1000

• Rhino Park Hospital
   Website: www.rhinopark.com
   Contact Number: +264 61 375 000

• Paramount Healthcare Centre
   Website: www.paramounthcc.com
   Contact Number: +264 61 287 1106

Simultaneous interpretation into the six official languages of the United Nations (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish) will be provided for all plenary meetings and for some working group meetings. Please check the daily schedule for more information. 

A list of registered participants is available at https://www.ipbes.net/events/ipbes-11/lop. Delegates are reminded that the list of participants is based on the information provided by them at the time of registration and that inclusion in the list of participants is conditional upon official registration and attendance. Delegates are requested to confirm the correctness of the information they provided in their registration which will be sent to the email address of the logged in user immediately after registration. A list of participants will be available on the IPBES website as soon as possible after the start of the meeting. Delegates are requested to check the entries carefully and make any necessary changes using the edit link provided in the registration confirmation email sent immediately after registration or submit any corrections to the Registration Desk or by email to [email protected]. 

Meeting participants are responsible for obtaining comprehensive international insurance for the duration of their stay. The United Nations and IPBES secretariat disclaim all responsibility for medical, accident and travel insurance, for compensation for death or disability, for loss or damage to personal property and for any other costs or losses that may be incurred during travel or the period of participation.

To ensure you make the most of your experience, we encourage you to download our official #IPBES11 event app. This app will provide you with real-time updates, access to essential information, and a seamless way to connect with fellow attendees.

Further information on the #IPBES11 event app will follow in due course.

All participants must be duly registered on https://www.ipbes.net/events/ipbes-11/registration for badges to be issued to them. Upon arrival at the meeting venue for the first time, delegates will be requested to collect their badges at the registration desk located at the lobby of Nossob at Mercure Hotel Windhoek. A valid passport or national identification card should be presented to the registration staff for the issuance of badges. Delegates can proceed directly through security once badges have been issued to them. Delegates are also requested to report immediately to the registration desk in the event of the loss of badges. For security reasons, all delegates are required to wear their badge in the meeting venue.

The registration desk opening hours are:

• Sunday, 8 December 2024 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Monday, 9 December 2024 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Tuesday, 10 December 2024 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Wednesday, 11 December 2024 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Thursday, 12 December 2024 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Friday, 13 December 2024 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Saturday, 14 December 2024 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Sunday, 15 December 2024 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Monday, 16 December 2024 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

NOTE: All times above are Central Africa Time (CAT/UTC+02:00).

Duly registered members of delegations will have the possibility to view the proceedings online. Online participants will not be allowed to make or submit interventions through the videoconferencing platform. 

Delegates wishing to participate online must complete the same registration procedure as those attending in person. Meeting connection details for online participation will be provided closer to the meeting date.

Delegates from countries that are not exempted from visa requirements(see https://files.ipbes.net/ipbes-web-prod-public-files/2024-10/MHAISS_exempt.pdf) are encouraged to apply for Tourism Visas by submitting their visa applications online through the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security (MHAISS) which can be accessed at https://eservices.mhaiss.gov.na/ . However, visa applications should be submitted at Namibian Embassies/Consulates if these exist in the countries that delegates are based in.

Please note that delegates with diplomatic, official and service passports are exempted from all visa requirements for a maximum period of 90 Days per the Calendar Year for the countries listed in https://files.ipbes.net/ipbes-web-prod-public-files/2024-10/MHAISS_service-passports.pdf  

Delegates from countries listed in https://files.ipbes.net/ipbes-web-prod-public-files/2024-10/MHAISS_visa-on-arrival.pdf are entitled to visas upon arrival which will be issued at a cost of N$1200 per applicant. Please check the list of required documents to be submitted at the airport at https://eservices.mhaiss.gov.na/holidayvisa-services 

Representatives of The Ministry of Environment and Tourism in collaboration with Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security will be at the Hosea Kutako International airport to facilitate entry for delegates. We encourage all delegates to ensure that they have supporting documents at hand on arrival i.e. official invitation and visa letters, if applicable, received from the secretariat. Taking into account visa processing time, and to ensure participation in the meeting, delegates who require entry visas to Namibia are strongly encouraged to upload their nomination letters and register as soon as possible. Attestation letters to support visa applications will be sent to all registered participants who indicate that they need visas in their registration forms after they have uploaded official letters/credentials. 

A sample form is available for reference and download on https://files.ipbes.net/ipbes-web-prod-public-files/2024-10/Visa_Application_Guidelines_Example_of_Forms.pdf 

The following documents may be helpful in supporting your visa application:

1. Notification of Namibia Hosting IPBES 11: https://files.ipbes.net/ipbes-web-prod-public-files/2024-10/Notification_Namibia_Hosting_IPBES11.pdf 
2. Letter from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism: https://files.ipbes.net/ipbes-web-prod-public-files/2024-10/MEFT_ED_IPBES11.pdf 

For queries please reach out to Ms Sophia Klaaste on [email protected]

Updated on 21 October 2024

General inquiries and registration: [email protected]  
Media and communications: [email protected] 
Travel for supported participants: [email protected]  
Technical support: [email protected] 
Stakeholder day: [email protected]