Cooperation between the

African Union (AU)

and the

German Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and

Development (BMZ)

in biosafety issues

Capacity Building for the implementation

of the Cartagena Protocol

on Biosafety

German Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development, BMZ

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (German Technical Co-operation), GTZ

Capacity building instruments– an overview

• Policy advice

• Public administration

• Biosafety Clearing House Mechanism

• Monitoring, evaluation and inspection services

• Basic and further training of decision makers, experts and multiplicators

• Public awareness raising, education and promotion of public participation

The Cartagena Protocolon Biosafety

On 11, Sep 2003, the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB) entered into force.It sets:

• minimum international standards for the evaluation of risks posed by genetically modified organisms;

• minimum international standards for governmental decision procedures.

The Cartagena Protocolon Biosafety

Its implementation in developing countries is mainly supported through UNEP/GEF biosafety projects. These projects assist countries in establishing a National Biosafety Framework and a Biosafety Clearing House mechanism, and finally to implement the Framework.

Essentially all African countries have participated in one or two of these projects.

Issues not sufficiently elaborated under the Protocol• Contained use of LMOs

• Domestic development & export of LMOs

• Approval of deliberate releases of LMOs

• Approval of LMOs and their products for food and feed

• Labelling of LMOs and their products for food and feed

National biosafety legislation needs to develop more specific provisions.

African Model Lawon Safety in Biotechnology• Based on a 1997 submission by the Ethiopian

Government on behalf of the African Group in the Cartagena Protocol negotiations

• Drafted by an OAU working group 1999 - 2001• Draft version adopted in May 2001 by:

- 50 representatives of 28 African governments- 34 representatives of NGOs, research institutes and biotechnology industry- 5 representatives of the OAU and UNEP

• Under revision by the AU Department for Human Resources, Science & Technology

The AU Executive Council 4. URGES Member States, in abiding by the provisions of the Cartagena Protocol, to use the African Model Law in Biosafety prepared by the AU Commission as a basis for drafting their national legal instruments in Biosafety, taking into account their national peculiarities, in order to create an harmonized Africa-wide space and system in Biosafety for the regulation of Genetically Modified Organisms movement, transportation and importation in Africa;

July 2003, DECISION ON THE REPORT OF THE INTERIM CHAIRPERSONON THE AFRICA-WIDE CAPACITY BUILDING IN BIOSAFETY

EX/CL/Dec 26 (III)

The AU Executive Council 2. STRESSES the need for Member States to equip themselves with the necessary human and institutional capacities to deal with Biosafety issues within the framework of te implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety;

5. APPEALS to the developed countries, particularly Africa’s development partners willing to assist Africa in ist endeavour, to grant the necessary resources as well as financial and technical support towards the implementation of this programme;

6. REQUESTS the Chairperson of the Commission to convene a meeting of Experts and Civil Society Organizations to give further consideration to this issue and come out with proposals for an African Common Position for adoption by the policy organs of he African Union;

July 2003, DECISION ON THE REPORT OF THE INTERIM CHAIRPERSONON THE AFRICA-WIDE CAPACITY BUILDING IN BIOSAFETY

EX/CL/Dec 26 (III)

The project “Support of the AU in the matters of biosafety”

Principle Aim:The African States have ensured safety in use, handling, and transfer as well as research and development of GMOs and products thereof.

Project Aim:The topic “biosafety” has been incorporated into the political and institutional frameworks of the AU and into its support services for the Member States.

Major activitiesto be performed by the AU

1) Selection of two experts by the AUecology and biosafety & environmental law;and an administrator

2) Establishment of a biosafety unit at the AU, including a biosafety web pageand a Technical Advisory Committee

3) Organization of a preparatory workshop for African delegates before COP-MOP-3Mar ’06, Curitiba/Brazil

Major activitiesto be performed by the AU

4) Training of the project staffJun - Aug ’06

5) Drafting an African Strategy on Biosafetyfinalization through an expert workshop to prepare endorsement by the Extra-ordinary Conference of African Ministers on Science & Technology and the AU Heads of State and Government Summit, Aug ’06 - Jan ’07

Major activitiesto be performed by the AU

6) Revision of the African Model Law on Safety in Biotechnologyfinalization through an expert workshop to prepare endorsement at the Ministerial and Heads of States and Government level, Jan - Jul ’07

7) Presentation of the Strategy and Model Law to Member States in five regional workshopsAug ’07 - Mar ’08

Major activitiesto be performed by the AU

8) Preparation of publications supporting the implementation of the Strategy, for example:- Survey of African GMO detection facilities- Study on GMO-containing bulk commodity

imports into Africa

9) Development of an approach to involve African Parliaments in the project activitiesJan - Jul ’07

Major activitiesto be performed by the GTZ

1) Technical and financial audit to prepare a funding proposal for the support and establishment of a network of GMO detection laboratories in Africa

2) Training of AU staff in organisational and technical matters

3) Support of the project by African and German biosafety experts

African network of GMO detection laboratories

Is there a need?

Is there political and financial support by national governments and (sub)regional organisations?

Is there a legal and technical framework?

Is there existing capacity and expertise in Afrika?

Are there existing examples of related and successful cooperations?

Main issues to be resolved

mandating appropriate national ministries (sub)regional organisations

creation and/or adoption of norms & standards

equipment of customs & laboratories training of staff accreditations & certification of

laboratories transport of samples in regional

networks

German technical co-operation in MSTQ

long-standing co-operation between the BMZ, the German National Metrology Institute (PTB) and partners in developing countries

new policy framework with strategy paper from 2004:Quality Infrastructure, Conformity Assessment - Metrology, Standardization, Testing, Quality Management (MSTQ)

MSTQ-projects in Africa

Support to SADC in implemenmting the SQAM-program: 2004 - 2006

Establishment of a regional SQMT-architecture in the East African Community (EAC): 2004 - 2006

Encouragement su système de métrology et d’essai des pays d’Afrique de l’Ouest: 2001 - 2004