YEREVAN / ARKA/. The up- coming COP17 in Yerevan will fea- ture discussions on securing contribu- tions from biotech- nology companies to the “Cali Fund,” according to the European Union Delegation to Armenia. The EU is co-organizing a special session on October 19, titled: “A Multilateral Mechanism for the Use of Digital Sequence Informa- tion (DSI) on Genetic Re- sources and the Cali Fund: What Is Needed for Their Full and Prompt Implemen- tation?” Negotiations will cover mechanisms for distribut- ing funds among states and indigenous communities, as well as approaches to deter- mining the financial contri- butions required from com- panies, Reuters reports. About the Cali Fund The Cali Fund was es- tablished during COP16 in 2024. It serves as a mecha- nism to engage the private sector in financing environ- mental conservation efforts. Its objective is to ensure the sharing of benefits derived from the commercial use of digital genetic information. The fund relies on volun- tary financial contributions from companies that utilize digital sequence information on genetic resources—nota- bly those operating within the pharmaceutical, cosmet- ic, and agricultural sectors.