Therefore, we understand that in order to be able to implement their obligations, Parties/stakeholders need appropriate institutional mechanisms and infrastructure, well-trained human resources, adequate funding as well as easy access to relevant information.

ABSF/ABNETA have organized a well elaborate capacity building programme that will offer all stakeholders in Africa a comprehensive understanding of all aspects in biotechnology.

At its first meeting, the COP-MOP in its decision BS-I/5 endorsed an Action Plan for Building Capacities for the Effective Implementation of Protocol as well as the Coordination Mechanism developed by the ICCP. The COP-MOP also considered a preliminary set of criteria and indicators for monitoring implementation of the Action Plan. Finally the COP-MOP decided to include capacity-building as one of the standing items on its medium-term programme of work up to its fifth meeting.

At its third meeting, the COP-MOP in its decision BS-III/3 adopted a revised Action Plan for Building Capacities for the Effective Implementation of the Protocol as well as measures to facilitate its implementation and effectiveness and to foster coordination and synergies between different capacity-building initiatives.

In decision BS-III/4 , COP-MOP outlined a process aimed at strengthening the quality, effectiveness and level of use of the Roster of Biosafety Experts.

At its fourth meeting, the COP-MOP, in decision BS-IV/3, considered the status of implementing the updated Action Plan and its Coordination Mechanism and adopted measures for enhancing the sharing of information and reports regarding their implementation. The COP-MOP also approved a revised set of indicators for monitoring the Action Plan and agreed to review them at its sixth meeting. Furthermore, the COP-MOP adopted measures to promote long-term biosafety education and training. Among other things, developed country Parties, other Governments, GEF, bilateral and multi-lateral agencies were invited to provide financial and other support to enable universities and relevant institutions to develop and/or expand existing biosafety academic programmes and provide scholarships to students from developing country Parties.

Needs and Priorities of Parties

ABSF/ABNETA recognizes that the Global Industry Coalition strongly supports the goal of establishment of workable, science-based, transparent and predictable regulatory frameworks to provide for biosafety in connection with the research, development, commercialization and trade of LMOs by public as well as private sector organizations.

However, for those countries that are Parties to the Cartagena Protocol, ABSF/ABNETA believes that such capacity building efforts must begin by bringing these countries into compliance with their existing legal obligations under the Protocol.  These efforts should focus on incorporating basic Protocol requirements into national implementing legislation, establishing and operationalizing administrative mechanisms, and building the human capabilities necessary to process requests, conduct science-based risk assessments, and protect confidential business information while providing for appropriate public information and participation.
ABSF/ABNETA understands that these activities must be a priority for capacity building under the Cartagena Protocol as a review of the information provided by Parties in their National Reports for consideration at the fourth meeting of the Parties to the Protocol in May 2008 (MOP-4) clearly indicates that many Parties are not yet meeting their existing responsibilities, even with respect to the fundamental obligations under the Protocol.

ABSF/ABNETA knows that the private sector is concerned that unless biosafety capacity building efforts are refocused to prioritize compliance with basic Cartagena Protocol requirements, Parties will continue to suffer from misunderstandings about particular requirements and mechanisms in the Protocol and a general lack of understanding about how Protocol requirements fit into a broader regulatory regime and/or policies on biotechnology.

As such, ABSF/ABNETA  have decided to come up with an effective, transparent capacity building effort and tools coordinated and developed by Parties, governments, international organizations and other stakeholders that enable countries to develop the capacity to properly and expediently comply with the requirements under the Protocol.  To this end, as the private sector, ABSF also supports efforts to conduct gap analyses and capacity building needs assessments in order to inform the prioritization of efforts to those areas of greatest need.