Eswatini | BCH-NR3-SZ-109095 | 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-SZ-109095-1   |   PDF   |   Print   |  
last updated: 29 Oct 2015
General Information


Mr. Similo George Mavimbela - Consultant, National Biosafety Advisory Committee Member<br />Mr. Stephen Zuke - Executive Director, CBD &amp; GEF Focal Point; <br />Mr. Gcina Dladla -&nbsp; Director of Policy, Planning, Research and Information and ABS Focal Point;<br />Mr. Ndumiso Shongwe - Legal Counsel, Nagoya Kuala-Lampur Supplementary Protocol Focal Point<br />Mr. Bongani Nkhabindze - Biosafety Registrar, CPB &amp; BCH Focal Point;<br />Ms. Dumile Sithole - Biosafety Assistant Coordinator; <br />Ms. Calisile Mhlanga - Biodiversity Officer;<br />Mr. Sipho Matsebula - Ecologist; <br />Mr. Melusi Mbuli - Environmental Economist;<br />Mr. Prof. M.A. Dlamini - Scientist, University of Swaziland<br />
EN

01 Nov 2010
29 Oct 2015
Party to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
Yes
EN
Article 2 – General provisions
A domestic regulatory framework is fully in place
EN
2013
EN
  • One or more national biosafety laws
  • One or more national biosafety regulations
  • One or more sets of biosafety guidelines
  • Other laws, regulations or guidelines that indirectly apply to biosafety
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
One
EN
Partially
EN
- Q16 - Draft Regulation in place but in the process of being approved by Parliament.&nbsp;&nbsp; <br />- Q18 &amp; Q19 - The Competent Authority now has the Biosafety Registrar<br />- Q20 - The Biosafety Act 2012 has been submitted to the BCH. The Regulations and Guidelines are yet to be submitted.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
EN
Article 5 - Pharmaceuticals
No
EN
- The Biosafety Act 2012 does not cover pharmaceuticals&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; ]
EN
Article 6 – Transit and Contained use
No
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Transit and contained use are regulated by the Biosafety Act,2012. To date, the country has not handled transit and contained use LMOs. Only one application for release to the environment has been forwarded to the Competent Authority but it was turned back to the applicant as it did not meet the application standard.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
EN
Articles 7 to 10 – Advance Informed Agreement (AIA) and intentional introduction of LMOs into the environment
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
No
EN
Less than 5
EN
None
EN
Only one application has been received by the Competent Authority. However it was not in the required format hence the applicant was advised to resubmit.
EN
Article 11 – Procedure for living modified organisms intended for direct use as food or feed, or for processing (LMOs-FFP)
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Less than 5
EN
Less than 5
EN
Less than 5
EN
No
EN
No
EN
The decision made on LMOs-FFP was an informal ageement made prior to the Act being operational, thus the country is still in a transition phase in the regulation of LMOs-FFP as per the Act.
EN
Article 12 – Review of decision
Yes
EN
No
EN
No
EN
None
EN
The Biosafety Act 2012 provides for the review of decision. However non such review has been conducted so far.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
EN
Article 13 – Simplified procedure
Yes
EN
No
EN
None
EN
The Biosafety Act provides for the simplified procedure but there has not been any application that has called for this provision
EN
Article 14 – Bilateral, regional and multilateral agreements and arrangements
Yes
EN
One or more
EN
No
EN
The country has no bi-lateral agreement at the momemt. However it has endorsed both the Southern African Development (SADC) and COMESA Guidelines on Biotechnology and Biosafety. Both guidelines cover&nbsp; the handling of LMO food aid, policy and regulations, public awareness and participation and capacity building.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; ]
EN
Articles 15 & 16 – Risk Assessment and Risk Management
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
10 or more
EN
10 or more
EN
10 or more
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
No
EN
Yes
EN
  • Field trial
No
EN
In some cases only
EN
5 or less
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
The Biosafety Act 2012 provides for risk assessment and management. The National Biosafety Advisory Committee is the body responsible for risk assessment. There is still need to improve infrastructure such as laboratories for monitoring and management of LMOs&nbsp;
EN
Article 17 – Unintentional transboundary movements and emergency measures
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
No
EN
Never
EN
Swaziland has the mechanism to deal with unintentional transboundary movements and emergency measures, however there is still need to improve the capacity for implementation.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
EN
Article 18 – Handling, transport, packaging and identification
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Existing or a stand-alone document
EN
Yes
EN
Existing or a stand-alone document
EN
Yes
EN
Existing or a stand-alone document
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
None
EN
No
EN
One or more
EN
Yes
EN
None
EN
The Biosafety Act 2012, Regulations and Guidelines provide for measures for handling, packaging and identification of LMOs. There is need to improve human resource and laboratory capacities for the full implementation of this article.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
EN
Article 19 – Competent National Authorities and National Focal Points
n/a
EN
Yes
EN
There is currently only one National Competent Authority, the Swaziland Environment Authority.&nbsp;&nbsp;
EN
Article 20 – Information Sharing and the Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH)
Information available but only partially available in the BCH
EN
Information available but only partially available in the BCH
EN
Information available but only partially available in the BCH
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 available but not in the BCH
EN
Information available but not in the BCH
EN
Information available but not in the BCH
EN
Information available but not in the BCH
EN
Information not available
EN
Information not available
EN
Information not available
EN
Information not available
EN
Information available but not in the BCH
EN
Yes, to some extent
EN
Yes
EN
Yes, always
EN
No
EN
Yes
EN
25 or more
EN
One or more
EN
  • National website
  • National Libraries
  • 5B6177DD-5E5E-434E-8CB7-D63D67D5EBED (Print Media and Electronic Media)
Information is submitted to the BCH but there is still a lot that needs to be submitted for example regulations and guidelines. There is further need to train more officers on the use of BCH particularly the uploading of information. The training should be detailed and hands-on.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
EN
Article 21 – Confidential information
Yes
EN
Yes, always
EN
The Biosafety Act, 2012 provides for confidentiality.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
EN
Article 22 – Capacity-building
No
EN
Yes
EN
Regional channels
EN
No
EN
Yes
EN
Average
EN
  • Development of national biosafety frameworks
  • Implementation of national biosafety frameworks
  • Building Capacity for Effective Participation in the BCH (Phase I)
  • Building Capacity for Effective Participation in the BCH (Phase II)
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
  • Scientific, technical and institutional collaboration at subregional, regional and international levels
  • Technology transfer
  • Socio-economic considerations
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
No
EN
No
EN
1 per year or more
EN
No
EN
Government of Swaziland does allocate funds for the implementation of the Act/Protocol, however they are insufficient and not specifically for capacity building.
EN
Article 23 – Public awareness and participation
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Swaziland Environment Authority in collaboration with subcontracting partners e.g.&nbsp;&nbsp; University of Swaziland, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Agriculture&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
EN
Yes
EN
5 or more
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes, to some extent
EN
  • National website
  • Newspaper
  • Forums
Forums
EN
No
EN
One or more
EN
5 or more
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Never
EN
Article 24 – Non-Parties
No
EN
No
EN
No
EN
Article 25 – Illegal transboundary movements
Yes
EN
No
EN
Never
EN
The Biosafety Act, 2012 provides measures to prevent and penalize illegal transboundary movement of LMOs. There is urgent need to strengthen monitoring of illegal transboundary movement
EN
Article 26 – Socio-economic considerations
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
None
EN
No experience so far
EN
Yes, to some extent
EN
On information sharing
EN
The Biosafety Act 2012 provides for socio-economic considerations&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
EN
Article 27 – Liability and Redress
No
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
The Bioafety Acty, 2012 does incoporate the spirit of the Supplimentary Protocol, under Section 32. Cabinet has approved the ratification of the Supplimentary Protocol. The Competent National Authority is currently awaiting the final approval by Parliament.
EN
Article 28 – Financial Mechanism and Resources
500,000 USD or more
EN
Article 33 – Monitoring and reporting
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Yes
EN
Other information
- Liability and redress: operators consider the liability and redress clause in the Biosafety Act, 2012 as being an impediment to the introduction of the technology in the country. <br /><br />- There is need for strengthening monitoring and enforcement.<br />
EN
Comments on reporting format