Eritrea | BCH-NR3-ER-109476 | Third National Report on the Implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety | Biosafety Clearing-House

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Third National Report on the Implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (NR3)
  |  
BCH-NR3-ER-109476-1   |   PDF   |   Print   |  
last updated: 01 Dec 2015
General Information


Ministry of Land, Water and Environment (Department of Environment), Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, Ministry of  Justice, Ministry of  Marine Resources, Zonal Administration, Eritrea Standard Institute, Eritrea Institute of Technology, Port Authority, Custum office, College of Marine Science, Eritrea Institute of Technology, Hamelmalo Agricultural College, Private sectors   and Local Communities
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01 Jan 2011
31 Dec 2015
Party to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
Yes
EN
Article 2 – General provisions
Only a draft framework exists
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2006
EN
  • One or more national biosafety regulations
  • One or more sets of biosafety guidelines
No
EN
Yes
EN
Less than 5
EN
Yes
EN
The Department of Environmnet(DoE)which is the focal point for Biotechnology/Biosafety in Eritrea has developed the following documents on Biosafety .<br />1.Biotechnology/Biosafety Assessment Report for Eritrea(in 2007)<br />2.National Biosafety Framework for Eritrea(in 2007)<br />3.National Biosafety policy for Eritrea(in 2007)<br />4.National Biosafety Legistlation for Eritrea(in 2007)<br />5.National Biosafety Guideline(2007)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; <br />6.Strategy and Action Plan for the Implementation of the Cartegana&nbsp; Prootocol on Biosafety (in 2012)&nbsp; &nbsp; but not submitted.
EN
Article 5 - Pharmaceuticals
Yes, to some extent
EN
No
EN
The Ministry of Health has a body that regulates the importation of pharmaceuticals that are free from LMOs. However, this activity is done on limited basis, it is not usually communicated to the BCH.
EN
Article 6 – Transit and Contained use
No
EN
No
EN
In Eritrea, researches on modern Biotechnology is at its lower stage due to lack of qualified experts, facilities and finance. At this moment, the country is not serving as a transit&nbsp; for the transfer of LMOs.
EN
Articles 7 to 10 – Advance Informed Agreement (AIA) and intentional introduction of LMOs into the environment
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
None
EN
None
EN
As indicated above, the country has lack of facilities and qualified experts on detection LMOs.So the biosafety framework has not been implemented and there is no enough activity on potential adverse effects of&nbsp; LMOs for intentional introduction to the environmnet.
EN
Article 11 – Procedure for living modified organisms intended for direct use as food or feed, or for processing (LMOs-FFP)
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
So far the country has not imported any food or feed materials with LMOs due to lack of&nbsp; qualified experts and facilities to handle LMOs.
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Article 12 – Review of decision
No
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No
EN
No
EN
None
EN
As stated above due to lack of qualified experts and facilities&nbsp; there were no review of decisions made.
EN
Article 13 – Simplified procedure
No
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No
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None
EN
There is no simplified procedures established.
EN
Article 14 – Bilateral, regional and multilateral agreements and arrangements
No
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So far, there is no bilateral, regional and mulilateral agreements or arrangments.
EN
Articles 15 & 16 – Risk Assessment and Risk Management
Yes, to some extent
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In the country's national frame work there is a risk assessment guidance.
EN
Yes
EN
50 or more
EN
50 or more
EN
50 or more
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
Even though Eritrea has put in place risk assessment and&nbsp; risk management tools and mechanisms on how, there is no any implementation.
EN
Article 17 – Unintentional transboundary movements and emergency measures
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
Never
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There is no capacity in the country to control intentional or unintentional transbuondry movements and emergency measures.
EN
Article 18 – Handling, transport, packaging and identification
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
Yes
EN
No
EN
None
EN
No
EN
None
EN
No
EN
None
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Guidelines and regulations have been drafted regarding&nbsp; handling, transport, packaging and identification of&nbsp; LMOs, however,&nbsp; mechanisms have not been developed that support to implement them due to lack of&nbsp; skilled and qualified experts&nbsp; and&nbsp; appropriate facilities.
EN
Article 19 – Competent National Authorities and National Focal Points
Yes
EN
Yes, to some extent
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The National Biosafety Framework proposes a combined National Focal Point and National Competent Authority as the administrative system for the NBF for Eritrea. So the Department of Environmnet is supposed to be the National Competent Authority and National Focal Point.
EN
Article 20 – Information Sharing and the Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH)
Information available and in the BCH
EN
Information available but not in the BCH
EN
Information not available
EN
Information available and in the BCH
EN
Information available and in the BCH
EN
Information not available
EN
Information not available
EN
Information not available
EN
Information not available
EN
Information not available
EN
Information not available
EN
Information not available
EN
Information not available
EN
Information not available
EN
Information not available
EN
Information not available
EN
Information not available
EN
Yes
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
None
EN
None
EN
Eritrea has already developed a strategy and action plan that include&nbsp; establishing a National Biosafety Clearing House network with properly identified stakeholders; exchanging information; preparing guidilines for managemnt biosafety information linkage; establishing a biosafety data bank; establishing informationg sharing mechanism between the national, regional and central portal of the BCH. However, to implement this action plan effectively human and institutional capacity building is very crucial for establishing BCH.
EN
Article 21 – Confidential information
Yes
EN
In some cases only
EN
The guidelines on the NBF for Eritrea stipulate the general procedures on confidential information but is not yet implemented due to the capacity constraints.
EN
Article 22 – Capacity-building
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Multilateral channels
EN
No
EN
No
EN
  • Development of national biosafety frameworks
  • Building Capacity for Effective Participation in the BCH (Phase I)
Yes, to some extent
EN
The country has put inplace implementation&nbsp; of&nbsp; National Biosafety&nbsp; Framework as a strategy&nbsp; in its revised NBSAP; and in its&nbsp; strategy and action plan for the implementation of the Cartegana Protocol on Biosafety included producing highly qualified and skilled human resources and an effective institutions for the implementation.
EN
  • 5B6177DD-5E5E-434E-8CB7-D63D67D5EBED (The country has included the implementation of the National Biosafety framework in its revised NBSAP as well as preparing for initiating BCH phase II .)
Yes
EN
No
EN
Yes
EN
  • Institutional capacity
  • Human resources capacity development and training
  • Risk assessment and other scientific and technical expertise
  • Risk management
  • Public awareness, participation and education in biosafety
  • Information exchange and data management including participation in the Biosafety Clearing-House
  • Scientific, technical and institutional collaboration at subregional, regional and international levels
  • Technology transfer
  • Identification of LMOs, including their detection
  • Socio-economic considerations
  • Implementation of the documentation requirements under Article 18.2 of the Protocol
  • Handling of confidential information
  • Measures to address unintentional and/or illegal transboundary movements of LMOs
  • Scientific biosafety research relating to LMOs
  • Taking into account risks to human health
  • 5B6177DD-5E5E-434E-8CB7-D63D67D5EBED (Taking in to account to the environment)
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
None
EN
No
EN
The country has developed a national strategy and action plan for the implementation of the cartegana protocol on biosafety.It included providing traing to produce highly skilled and qualified human resources;prepare teaching materials and text books with adequate coverage on biosafety/Biotechnology;strengthening and upgrading the exsisting tissue culture laboratories, and establishing new national laboratories for biotechnology research. For effective implementation as indicated in the various sub-sections,&nbsp; qualified personnel to handle issues on biosafety/LMOs in the country is at its rudimentary stage.Thus, strong initiative must be taken to build capacity on these areas. This problem is hindering&nbsp; the country from appropriately utilizing GEF funds.
EN
Article 23 – Public awareness and participation
Yes, to some extent
EN
The country has already&nbsp; included public awarness and participation in its revised NBSAP as well as in its strategy and action plan for the implementaion of the cartegana protocol on Biosafety.
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
The Department of Environmnet of the Ministry Land,water and Environmnet is a focal insitution that coordinates and monitor biosafety issues in the country. For this purpose, the Department of Environmnet in collaboration with the main stakeholders has developed a strategic and action plan for the implementation of the cartagena Protocol on Biosafety at&nbsp; national level,regional and international level.
EN
No
EN
None
EN
Yes, to some extent
EN
The country has developed a stratgy and action plan for the implementation of the CPB that included&nbsp; installing ICT devises, conducting roud table discussions ,workshops etc for public to access information regarding LMOs.
EN
Yes, to some extent
EN
The country has already drafted the National Biosafety Framework and the Strategy and Action Plan for the imlementation of the Cartegana Protocol on Biosafety that included&nbsp; for public consultation in the decision making&nbsp; process regarding the LMOs.
EN
Yes, to some extent
EN
The same answer as Q.165 above.
EN
No
EN
No
EN
None
EN
None
EN
Yes, to some extent
EN
Some public awarness materials concerning&nbsp; biotechnology and biosafety and its management frame work systems have been distributed to the relevant stakeholders to have an idea on safe transfer,handling and use of LMOs.
EN
Yes
EN
Never
EN
The country has included in its strategy and action plan for the implementaion of the CPB as well as in its revised NBSAP to under take public awarness widely and to ensure public&nbsp; participation on the implementation of National Biosafety Framework.
EN
Article 24 – Non-Parties
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
The country lacks capacity in terms of&nbsp; qualified experts and facilities regarding&nbsp; import and export of&nbsp; LMOs on&nbsp; bilateral and multilateral relations.
EN
Article 25 – Illegal transboundary movements
Yes, to some extent
EN
The country has already included the preventing and/or&nbsp; penalizing transboundry movements of LMOs in its drafetd NBF.
EN
Yes, to some extent
EN
The country has put inplace regarding detecting illegal transboundry movements of LMOs in its drafted NBF, and included in its revised NBSAP.
EN
Never
EN
Eventhough the country included&nbsp; regulatory frameworks for&nbsp; illegal transboundary&nbsp; movements&nbsp; of&nbsp; LMOs in its drafted NBF and ,it lacks capacity to implement efficiently.
EN
Article 26 – Socio-economic considerations
Yes
EN
Not applicable
EN
5 or more
EN
The&nbsp; socio-economic considerations&nbsp;&nbsp; has been considered in the drafted NBF. However, it is difficult to implement effectively&nbsp; due to lack of&nbsp; human and institutional&nbsp; capacity.
EN
No
EN
Article 27 – Liability and Redress
No
EN
Yes
EN
No
EN
Yes
EN
The country has included in its NBSAP Aichi Target 16 and set a priority actions such as ensure public awareness programmes on access and benefit sharing framework for genetic resources, production of a legal framework concerning access and benefit sharing framework for genetic resources, make studies on the protection and application of traditional knowledge associated with biological and genetic resources, establish programmes/projects that enhance Access and Benefit Sharing to ensure that stakeholders adequately gain from biodiversity conservation action, genetic resources domestication (Domestication of international legal instruments on genetic resources and emplace national Plant Genetic Resources(PGR) policy) and signining ,ratifying and implementing&nbsp; the Nagoya Protocol.These priority actions will be started from 2016.)
EN
Article 28 – Financial Mechanism and Resources
50,000 USD or more
EN
Article 33 – Monitoring and reporting
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Other information
The country has tried to implement the protocol with its many limitations since its ratification. However, it needs capacity building on institutional capacity, human resources capacity development and training, risk assessment and other scientific and technical expertise,risk&nbsp; assessment and management,information exchange and data management including&nbsp; in the Biosafety Clearing-House phase II, technology transfer, identification and detection of LMOs, handling of confidential information, measures to address unintentional and/or illegal transboundary movements of LMOs, scientific biosafety research relating to LMOs, taking into account risks to human health&nbsp; and environmnet. In addition, financial&nbsp;&nbsp; support is very crucial to implement Biosafety/Biotechnolgy issues that are included in the strategy and action plan for the implementation of the CPB and in the revised NBSAP to achieve the Aichi Biodiversity Targets of&nbsp; the 2020. So to full fill our gaps in the protocol, we expect&nbsp; an update information, notifications and invitaions&nbsp;&nbsp; regarding capacity building&nbsp; which are long and short&nbsp; courses/training&nbsp; and&nbsp; workshops .
EN
Comments on reporting format
There is no problem in filling this report but our&nbsp; main concern is&nbsp; to get our needs&nbsp; considering the&nbsp; limitations the country has on implementaion the protocol. So we recommend&nbsp;&nbsp; training should be conducted, update information and experiences should be disseminated through the website and publishing materials should be ditributed from the central portal on time.
EN