Biosafety Clearing-House News
The UNE-GEF Project for Sustainable Capacity Building for Effective Participation in the BCH (BCH III) will offer a new webinar on "How to use the BCH Management Centre to register information" (ENGLISH) More...
Durante los días 16 y 17 de octubre de 2018 se desarrolló en Montevideo el "Segundo Taller Nacional para la Creación Sustentable de Capacidad para una Efectiva Participación en el CIISB"; en el marco del "Proyecto para la Creación Sustentable de Capacidad para una Efectiva Participación en el Centro de Intercambio de Información sobre Seguridad en la Biotecnología CIISB 3" de ONU Ambiente/Fondo Mundial para el Medio Ambiente, el cual es ejecutado por el Ministerio de Vivienda, Ordenamiento Territorial y Medio Ambiente a través de la Dirección Nacional de Medio Ambiente. More...
Le Burundi, tout comme les autres pays Parties éligibles, a bénéficié d'un appui financier pour la mise en œuvre du projet BCH III. Il a déjà organisé le premier atelier en dates du 4-5 septembre 2018 à Bujumbura sous la facilitation du Conseiller Régional Mohamed Elyses. Un deuxième atelier était programmé en dates du 16-17 octobre 2018 mais a été reporté pou mi-novembre. More...
Mongolia-
The National Biosafety Committee and Mongolian Biotechnology Association in collaboration with the UN Environment organized the First National BCH capacity building workshop in the context of the UN Environment – GEF Project for Sustainable Capacity Building for Effective Participation in the Biosafety Clearing House (BCH III) from 12-14 October 2018 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The workshop aimed at providing the country's key stakeholders with a common understanding of: the common format of the BCH records as well as the methods for finding information and the procedures for registering and publishing biosafety related decisions and identifying national procedures and operational linkages to gather information to be put on the BCH in line with the NBF's implementation and sustainability and training plan. The workshop was attended by 30 participants from governmental ministries, agencies, customs laboratory, National University of Mongolia, Mongolian University of Science and Technology, General and Experimental Biology Institute of Mongolian Academy of Science, media offices, importers and NGOs. The opening remarks and closing remarks were given by representatives from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, National Biosafety Committee. The workshop was facilitated by BCH NFP, Mongolian Biotechnology Association and Edmund Revilla, Regional Advisor of the BCH3 project, UN Environment.
More information ABF can be accessed at: http://asiabchfamily.org/
Sandagdorj BAYARKHUU,
General Secretary of National Biosafety Committee,
and NFP CPB and BCH Mongolia
http://www.biosafety.mn
BCH-III Webinar on "Applying the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety in the Industry using the Biosafety Clearing House (BCH) (importer-exporter)" (ARABIC) - 20 October 2018 More...
The UNE-GEF Project for Sustainable Capacity Building for Effective Participation in the BCH (BCH III) will offer a new webinar on "How to use the BCH Management Centre for BCH Central Portal National Authorized Users management" (ENGLISH) More...
The UNE-GEF Project for Sustainable Capacity Building for Effective Participation in the BCH (BCH III) will offer a new webinar on "How to apply to the Cartagena Protocol Roster of Experts" (SPANISH) More...
The meeting is focused on harmonization of Biosafety Frameworks, integration of Thematic Biosafety Issues in Biosafety Decision Making, and Project Management under UN Environment/GEF Biosafety Projects. More...
The Institute of Genetics and Cytology of the National Academy of Science of Belarus in collaboration with the UN Environment organized the First National BCH capacity building workshop in the context of the UN Environment – GEF Project for Sustainable Capacity Building for Effective Participation in the Biosafety Clearing House (BCH III) from 17-19 September 2018 In Minsk, Belarus. The workshop aimed at providing the country's key stakeholders with a common understanding of: the common format of the BCH records as well as the methods for finding information and the procedures for registering and publishing biosafety related decisions and identifying national procedures and operational linkages to gather information to be put on the BCH in line with the NBF's implementation and sustainability and training plan. The workshop was attended by 20 participants from governmental ministries, agencies, customs laboratory, agroprocessors, media offices and NGOs. The opening remarks were given by representatives from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, the Institute if Genetics and Cytology and UN Environment. The workshop was facilitated by Galina Mozgova, BCH NFP from the Institute of Genetics and Cytology and Vida Marolt, Regional Advisor of the BCH3 project, UN Environment.
The South African government as a party to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, recognizes the need for the implementation of Decisions of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (COP/MOP), in particular: Decision BS-V/5 (d) which called upon Global Environment Facility (GEF) to "Expand its support for capacity-building for effective participation in the BCH to all eligible Parties to the Protocol"; and Decision BS VI/5.2(f) which invites the (GEF) to “provide further support to all eligible Parties for capacity-building in the use of the Biosafety Clearing-House, based on experiences or lessons learned during the Project on Continued Enhancement of Building Capacity for Effective Participation in the Biosafety Clearing-House".
In that respect, through the UN Environment – Global Environment Facility's generous financial support , South Africa organized the first National Biosafety Clearing House training workshop in Pretoria on the 13-14th September 2018. The objectives of this training workshop were to define procedures and mechanisms for information flow onto the BCH; define roles of the Competent National Authority and National Focal Points, as well as enhance the national capacity to use the BCH Central Portal to find and register information. The training was facilitated by Dr Ossama AbdelKawy, Anglophone Africa Regional Specialist, BCH3 project UN Environment.
This training will contribute towards achieving strategic objective 5 enunciated in the strategic plan for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, 2011 – 2020, which aims at enhancing the availability and exchange of relevant information through the Biosafety Clearing-House.
Thee Ministry of Agriculture hosted the BCH 111 workshop for stake holders which was held in St George's Grenada. Mr Fred Phillips facilitated the meeting which was well received by the participants. Grenada has made a notable step in fulfilling it's obligation under BCH.
11 September 2018 marks the 15th anniversary of the entry into force of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
To commemorate the 15th anniversary, the Secretariat prepared a series of short video clips by representatives of Parties to Biosafety Protocol, biosafety experts and other stakeholders highlighting key elements of the Biosafety Protocol. The videos are intended to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Biosafety Protocol and can be used for national and regional outreach activities. Other resources prepared by the Secretariat, by Parties and other biosafety experts have also been made available, including:
-An anniversary poster (English, French and Spanish)
-A factsheet, a banner and a poster on the Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress
-A webinar and media articles
In addition, a number of info graphics have been made available prepared by participants to the online discussion on public awareness regarding LMOs, held from 15 March 2018 to 5 April 2018.
The 15th anniversary of the entry into force of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety is available at http://bch.cbd.int/protocol/15thAnniversary.shtml.
The SCBD held a webinar for the 15th anniversary of the entry into force of Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, 11 September 2018 from 8 – 10 a.m. EDT/NY. The webinar aimed to increase the visibility of the Protocol at an international level among stakeholders that are not familiar with the elements of it. Experts from several countries - Cambodia, Slovenia, South Africa, Tunisia and Venezuela - will make presentations.
More information is at:
https://mailchi.mp/nbsapforum/cartagenaprotocol_en
The presentations of the webinar are available at http://nbsapforum.net/forums/biosafety
The years 2016 to 2017 has been exceptional years for the Asia BCH Family as it started and continued its pursuit to strengthen its capability and undertook initiatives to pursue its goal to become "One Family" and become self sustaining. The Asia BCH roadmap, developed and approved by some Asian countries during the BCH Workshop held in Nanjing China in 2015 indeed served as catalysts in bringing together, weaving inter-personal relationships thus making it easier for the Asian countries to give their utmost cooperation in pursuit of the ABF's objectives. It aims to build capacity towards effective implementation of the BCH through the National Focal Points and forge cooperation among Asian countries to effectively implement the Protocol. The Philippines is grateful and thankful for the cooperation and painstaking efforts of each and every one in fulfill their respective obligations as embodied in the Asia BCH Roadmap.
Mongolia, as decided in November 2017, during the 5th BCH Workshop in Daejon, South Korea, shall be the next to coordinate with the the Asia BCH Family the implementation of the Asia BCH Roadmap this year until 2019. It took over the coordinatorship from the Philippines (2016-2017) during the turn-over held in Ulanbataar in July 2018. Ms. Sandagdorj Bayarkhuu is the lead person for 2018-2019.
The activities of the ABF is being spearheaded by the Korea Biosafety Clearing House under the leadership of Dr. Ho Min Jang with the assistance of Cambodia, Malaysia, China, Philippines , Ms Ileana Lopez and the two BCH Regional Advisor.
Looking forward to an energized and strengthened ABF and continued cooperation/collaboration by 2020 and beyond.
The Department of Agricultural Research in collaboration with the UN Environment will be hosting the first BCHIII capacity building workshop. This training workshop is in the context of the UN Environment – Global Environment Facility initiatives for Sustainable Capacity Building for Effective Participation in the Biosafety Clearing House (BCH III). More...
The first national workshop on the Biosafety Clearing House under the UNEP-GEF project for sustainable capacity building for effective participation in the BCH (BCH III) was held from 6-7 August 2018 at Asaree Maalam, Male’, Maldives. The purpose of this 2 day workshop was training and awareness for key stakeholders. A total of 22 participants from 10 organizations completed the training where the participants were pre-registered to a Virtual Learning Environment. The participants contributed to the workshop objectives through brainstorming sessions, trainings through interactive modules, presentations and discussions.
The first 2018 BCH training workshop was organized by the National Biosafety Authority (NBA) in the Prof. E.C. Quaye conference hall at the NBA Secretariat on Thursday, 23rd August, 2018. The opening remarks was delivered by the CEO of the NBA, Mr. Eric A. Okoree. The objective of the workshop was to enlighten participants on the usage of the BCH website and to equip them with skills needed to effectively contribute information on their respective institutions unto the BCH website. Participants were initially introduced to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety with emphasis on articles on the respective national obligations. Part of the time was also devoted to finding information. The exercise also included practical work in which the participants tried their hands on issues in the BCH.
The Zambian 2nd National BCH Workshop oganized by The Zambian National Biosafety Authority in collaboration with the UN Environment was held 8-9 August 2018 IN Livinatone. The workshop was held in the context of the UN Environment – Global Environment Facility Project for Sustainable Capacity Building for Effective Participation in the Biosafety Clearing House (BCH III). it targeted key Government representatives with responsibilities for implementing the Biosafety Protocol, particularly those that will update and use the BCH as a means of fulfilling the national obligations set forth in the protocol. The representatives will include the BCH’s National Focal Point (NFP), National Authorized Users (NAUs), Competent National Authorities (CNAs), and other information providers and aimed at providing the country's key stakeholders with a common understanding of: the common format of the BCH records as well as the methods for finding information and the procedures for registering and publishing biosafety related decisions and identifying national procedures and operational linkages to gather information to be put on the BCH in line with the NBF's implementation and sustainability and training plan. The workshop was attended by 12 participants from various institutions of the country. The opening remarks were given by Dr Mr Lackson Tonga (CEO of the National Biosafety Authority) and Dr Soko (the Acting district commissioner, Livingstone) and Dr Ossama AbdelKawy (anglophone Africa regional Specialist, the BCH3 project, UN Environment).
The SCBD is holding a media contest for media to submit an article on the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety for the 15th anniversary of the entry into force of the Protocol by 6 September 2018. The SCBD will select and reward media representatives. The articles will form part of a media campaign to increase the visibility of the Protocol. We encourage the dissemination of a media advisory to relevant media in your country. Please find the media advisory at https://bch.cbd.int/doc/cp-mediaadvisory-2018-07-en.pdf?dowload.
L’Autorité Nationale de Biosécurité du Sénégal en partenariat avec le Département de l’Agriculture des Etats-Unis (USDA-FAS), a organisé le 26 juillet 2018 à Dakar, un atelier national de partage sur les cadres de réglementation de la biosécurité au Sénégal, au Brésil et aux Etats-Unis d’Amérique.
L’objectif général visé par la rencontre était de permettre aux participants, à travers un échange d’expériences, d’être suffisamment outillés pour contribuer à la mise en place d’un système adéquat de réglementation des biotechnologies modernes.
Les objectifs spécifiques visés consistaient à :
- faire l’état des lieux des différents systèmes de réglementation de la biosécurité au Etats-Unis, au Brésil et au Sénégal ;
- échanger sur les expériences des trois pays concernés pour en tirer des leçons à partager en la matière ;
- recueillir des avis et recommandations sur les possibilités de réajustement des systèmes de réglementation de la biosécurité ;
- renforcer les capacités des participants en matière d’analyse, d’élaboration et de mise en œuvre d’un système de réglementation des biotechnologies modernes favorisant leur utilisation sécurisée.
Du 23 au 25 juillet 2018, s’est tenu à Dakar un atelier sous régional sur la réglementation de la biotechnologie animale. Organisé conjointement par le Département de l’Agriculture des Etats Unis d’Amérique (USDA-FAS) et l’Autorité Nationale de Biosécurité du Sénégal, l’atelier a vu la participation :
- de régulateurs de biosécurité du Burkina Faso, de la Côte d’Ivoire, du Mali, du Niger et du Sénégal ;
- de représentants de l’Union Economique et Monétaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA), de la Communauté Economique des Etats de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (CEDEAO) ;
- d’experts de l’Université de Virginia Tech, du cadre national de biosécurité du Brésil et de l’African Biosafety Network of Expertise (ABNE du NEPAD).
La rencontre a permis de passer en revue :
- le rapport du Groupe de Haut Niveau de l’Union Africaine sur le forçage génétique (gene drive) pour le contrôle et l’élimination du paludisme en Afrique ;
- les potentialités qu’offrent les biotechnologies animales dans les différents secteurs de l’industrie et de la production animales ;
- les approches réglementaires de biosécurité de différents pays et des espaces sous régionaux ouest africains (CEDEAO, UEMOA) ;
- les principes généraux de l’évaluation des risques ainsi que des études de cas en biotechnologies animales, ;
- le partage d’expériences sur la réglementation relative à l’utilisation des insectes génétiquement modifiés ;
- les enjeux du partenariat dans la promotion des biotechnologies modernes et dans la réglementation et la définition de politique en matière de biosécurité ;
- le défi réglementaire pour la prise de décisions fondés sur la science et l’évaluation des risques face aux préoccupations du public
- la communication et la sensibilisation envers le public.
A news item covered by Island Sun Newspaper of Solomon Islands first national biosafety clearing house workshop held on 30th & 31st May 2018. More...
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