Record details

Origin of report

1. Country

Suriname

Contact officer for report

Coordinates

Haydi Berrenstein

PhD

Office of the President of the Republic of Suriname; National Coordination and Implementation of Environmental Policy

Kleine Combe weg 2-4

Suriname

Phone:	+597-421 985
Fax:	+597-472 841
Email:	haydi.berrenstein@president.gov.sr,queenhjb@yahoo.com

Consulted stakeholders

9. Organizations/stakeholders who were consulted or participated in the preparation of this report

Ministries of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries; Ministry of Trade and Industry: Ministry of Health; policy makers and customs officers; Ministryof Regional development; Major Groups: Indigenous and Maroon representatives; Anton de Kom University of Suriname-Faculty of Agriculture; National Herbarium; National Zoological Collection; Center for Agricultural Research in Suriname (CELOS); department of Food Safety, Agriculture, Biodiversity and Forestry; Private Sector and Civil Society; NIMOS; Students Biology; Plant Protection and Environmental Sciences from the Anton de Kom University of Suriname

Submission

10. Date of submission

2015-12-30

11. Time period covered by this report

Start date

2014

11. Time period covered by this report

End date

2015

Party to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

Is your country a Party to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB)?

Article 2 – General provisions

14. Has your country introduced the necessary legal, administrative and other measures for the implementation of the Protocol?

This question is relevant to indicators 1.1.1, 2.1.1, 2.1.2, and 3.1.2 of the Strategic Plan

Only a draft framework exists

16. Which specific instruments are in place for the implementation of your national biosafety framework?

No instruments are in place

17. Has your country established a mechanism for the budgetary allocations of funds for the operation of its national biosafety framework?

18. Does your country have permanent staff to administer functions directly related to the national biosafety framework?

20. Has your country’s biosafety framework / laws / regulations / guidelines been submitted to the Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH)?

21. Here you may provide further details on the implementation of Article 2 in your country

Suriname has produced a National Biosafety Framework in 2004. In addition, a first draft of biosafety legislation has to be revised. A National Biosafety Committee was established which convened on a regular basis. A first draft of an implementation plan for the National Biosafety Framework in Suriname (2011-2016) was prepared: this plan elaborates on the establishment of a detailed implementation strategy; an effective coordination mechanism and the development and approval of a biosafety Framework Law.

Article 5 - Pharmaceuticals

22. Does your country regulate the transboundary movement, handling and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) which are pharmaceuticals?

24. Here you may provide further details on the implementation of Article 5 in your country:

The customs at the International JAP Airport have the task to check the import of agriculture products etc. But they have not received any training in biosafety and/or pharmaceuticals. Surveys by Anton de Kom university students provided information on the import of several products from the origin of GMOs that are sold in supermarkets and used as food such as peas, soy milk, canned tomatoes, tomato ketchup etc.

Article 6 – Transit and Contained use

25. Does your country regulate the transit of LMOs?

This question is relevant to indicator 1.8.1 of the Strategic Plan

26. Does your country regulate the contained use of LMOs?

This question is relevant to indicators 1.1.2 and 1.8.2 of the Strategic Plan

28. Here you may provide further details on the implementation of Article 6 in your country:

With reagrd to the contained use it can be said that individuals took certain precautions when culturing for instance the red tilapia which was imported about twenty years ago. However, not in all cases the red tilapia stayed contained. Several carp species were imported to serve a need; for example: some aquaculturists use grass carp, which is originally not from Suriname, to graze in the ponds and keep them 'clean' in a biological way; various ornamental fishes are being imported for the use as aquarium fish. As such these are contained by the owners; however no regulations or fines exist. A series of ornamental plants is also being imported on a regular basis, such as orchids. Suriname doesn't focus on their genetic origin and the individual importer is interested in their appearance and the profit for the company.

Articles 7 to 10 – Advance Informed Agreement (AIA) and intentional introduction of LMOs into the environment

29. Has your country adopted law(s) / regulations / administrative measures for the operation of the AIA procedure of the Protocol OR a domestic regulatory framework consistent with the Protocol regarding the transboundary movement of LMOs for intentional introduction into the environment?

This question is relevant to indicators 1.1.2 and 3.1.4 of the Strategic Plan

30. Has your country established a mechanism for taking decisions regarding first intentional transboundary movements of LMOs for intentional introduction into the environment?

32. Has your country established legal requirements for exporters under its jurisdiction to notify in writing the competent national authority of the Party of import prior to the intentional transboundary movement of an LMO that falls within the scope of the AIA procedure?

33. Has your country established legal requirements for the accuracy of information contained in the notification?

34. Has your country ever received an application / notification regarding intentional transboundary movements of LMOs for intentional introduction into the environment?

This question is relevant to indicator 1.1.4 of the Strategic Plan

35. Has your country ever taken a decision on an application / notification regarding intentional transboundary movements of LMOs for intentional introduction into the environment?

This question is relevant to indicator 1.1.5 of the Strategic Plan

38. In the current reporting period, how many applications/notifications has your country received regarding intentional transboundary movements of LMOs for intentional introduction into the environment?

None

39. In the current reporting period, how many decisions has your country taken regarding intentional transboundary movements of LMOs for intentional introduction into the environment?

None

46. Here you may provide further details on the implementation of Articles 7-10 in your country, including measures in case of lack of scientific certainty on potential adverse effects of LMOs for intentional introduction to the environment

Comment on Q. 44: The Government, through its work arm, being the customs officers, have a 'negative list' which includes that certain 'things' can only be imported under certain conditions; this is not expressed in %; for the import of seeds and plant reproduction material a permit is needed. However it is not specified/defined as if it also counts for GMOs and/or LMOs.

Article 11 – Procedure for living modified organisms intended for direct use as food or feed, or for processing (LMOs-FFP)

47. Has your country adopted specific law(s) or regulation(s) for decision-making regarding domestic use, including placing on the market, of LMOs-FFP?

This question is relevant to indicator 1.1.2 of the Strategic Plan

48. Has your country established legal requirements for the accuracy of information to be provided by the applicant?

49. Has your country established a mechanism to ensure that decisions regarding LMOs-FFP that may be subject to transboundary movement will be communicated to the Parties through the BCH?

This question is relevant to indicator 3.1.5 of the Strategic Plan

50. Has your country established a mechanism for taking decisions on the import of LMOs-FFP?

This question is relevant to indicator 1.1.2 of the Strategic Plan

51. Has your country indicated its needs for financial and technical assistance and capacity-building in respect of LMOs-FFP?

This question is relevant to indicator 1.2.1 of the Strategic Plan

52. Has your country ever taken a decision on LMOs-FFP (either on import or domestic use)?

Article 12 – Review of decision

59. Has your country established a mechanism for the review and change of a decision regarding an intentional transboundary movement of LMOs?

60. Has your country ever received a request for a review of a decision?

61. Has your country ever reviewed / changed a decision regarding an intentional transboundary movement of LMOs?

62. In the current reporting period, how many decisions were reviewed and/or changed regarding an intentional transboundary movement of an LMO?

None

66. Here you may provide further details on the implementation of Article 12 in your country

Decisions can only be made when people are aware. Since awareness on LMOs and GMOs is negligible in Suriname, no decisions are taken or made as decision makers don't knnow what must be targeted. Scientific knowledge on this subject is also restricted to groups of people that deal with this subject because of their study cours; discipline or assignment.

An awareness compaign on all levels might cause major changes on both the government level as well as on lower levels, private sector and civil society.

Article 13 – Simplified procedure

67. Has your country established a system for the application of the simplified procedure regarding an intentional transboundary movement of LMOs?

68. Has your country ever applied the simplified procedure?

70. In the current reporting period, how many LMOs has your country applied the simplified procedure to?

None

Article 14 – Bilateral, regional and multilateral agreements and arrangements

72. Has your country entered into any bilateral, regional or multilateral agreements or arrangements?

Articles 15 & 16 – Risk Assessment and Risk Management

77. Has your country established a national framework for conducting risk assessments prior to taking decisions regarding LMOs?

79. How many people in your country have been trained in risk assessment, monitoring, management and control of LMOs?

This question is relevant to indicator 2.2.3 of the Strategic Plan

a) Risk assessment:

One or more

b) Management / Control:

One or more

c) Monitoring:

One or more

80. Is your country using training material and/or technical guidance for training in risk assessment and risk management of LMOs?

This question is relevant to indicator 2.2.5 of the Strategic Plan

81. Is your country using the "Manual on Risk Assessment of LMOs" (developed by CBD Secretariat) for training in risk assessment?

This question is relevant to indicator 2.2.5 of the Strategic Plan

82. Is your country using the "Guidance on Risk Assessment of LMOs" (developed by the Online Forum and the AHTEG on Risk Assessment and Risk Management) for training in risk assessment?

This question is relevant to indicator 2.2.5 of the Strategic Plan

83. Are the currently available training materials or technical guidance on risk assessment and/or risk management of LMOs sufficient?

This question is relevant to indicator 2.2.6 of the Strategic Plan

Not applicable

84. Does your country have the capacity to detect, identify, assess and/or monitor living modified organisms or specific traits that may have adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, taking into account risks to human health?

This question is relevant to indicators 1.4.2 and 1.6.3 of the Strategic Plan

a) Detect:

b) Identify:

c) Assess:

d) Monitor:

85. Has your country adopted or used any guidance documents for the purpose of conducting risk assessment or risk management, or for evaluating risk assessment reports submitted by notifiers?

This question is relevant to indicators 1.3.1 of the Strategic Plan

a) Risk assessment:

b) Risk management:

86. Is your country using the "Guidance on Risk Assessment of LMOs" (developed by the Online Forum and the AHTEG on Risk Assessment and Risk Management) for conducting risk assessment or risk management, or for evaluating risk assessment reports submitted by notifiers?

This question is relevant to indicator 2.2.5 of the Strategic Plan

87. Has your country adopted any common approaches to risk assessment with other countries?

This question is relevant to indicator 1.3.2 of the Strategic Plan

88. Has your country cooperated with other Parties with a view to identifying LMOs or specific traits that may have adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity?

This question is relevant to indicator 1.4.1 of the Strategic Plan

89. Has your country ever conducted a risk assessment of an LMO including any type of risk assessment of LMOs, e.g. for contained use, field trials, commercial purposes, direct use as food, feed, or for processing?

This question is relevant to indicator 1.3.3 of the Strategic Plan

94. Has your country taken measures to ensure that any LMO, whether imported or locally developed, undergoes an appropriate period of observation that is commensurate with its life-cycle or generation time before it is put to its intended use?

95. Has your country established a mechanism for monitoring potential effects of LMOs that are released into the environment?

96. Does your country have the infrastructure (e.g. laboratory facilities) for monitoring or managing LMOs?

This question is relevant to indicator 2.2.4 of the Strategic Plan

97. Here you may provide further details on the implementation of Articles 15 and 16 in your country

With regards to Question 94: There are some rules regarding plant and animal imports, (not defined LMOs) for the agriculture, animal husbandry and aquaculture sector. Rules may include a confinement period; confinement way and area of confinement etc. However, a third party is quite often missing for monitoring whether the specific rules are indeed implemented. Various dog breeds (and other pet types) and plant breeds are imported for domestic use and/or for breeding/cultivation. It is not known whether LMOs are between the imported breeds. No specific rules exist for most of pet breeds that are imported.

Article 17 – Unintentional transboundary movements and emergency measures

98. Has your country established and maintained appropriate measures to prevent unintentional transboundary movements of LMOs?

99. Has your country established a mechanism for addressing emergency measures in case of unintentional transboundary movements of LMOs that are likely to have significant adverse effect on biological diversity?

100. Does your country have the capacity to take appropriate measures in the event that an LMO is unintentionally released?

This question is relevant to indicator 1.8.3 of the Strategic Plan

101. In the current reporting period, how many times has your country received information concerning occurrences that led, or may have led, to unintentional transboundary movement(s) of one or more LMOs to or from territories under its jurisdiction?

Never

105. Here you may provide further details on the implementation of Article 17 in your country

As stated earlier, Suriname is in the process of drafting its biosafety regulations. The activities pertaining under this article will be taken care of in the regulations that are to be written.

Article 18 – Handling, transport, packaging and identification

106. Has your country taken measures to require that LMOs that are subject to transboundary movement are handled, packaged and transported under conditions of safety, taking into account relevant international rules and standards?

107. Has your country taken measures to require that documentation accompanying LMOs-FFP clearly identifies that, in cases where the identity of the LMOs is not known through means such as identity preservation systems, they may contain living modified organisms and are not intended for intentional introduction into the environment, as well as a contact point for further information?

This question is relevant to indicator 1.6.1 of the Strategic Plan

108. Has your country taken measures to require that documentation accompanying LMOs-FFP clearly identifies that, in cases where the identity of the LMOs is known through means such as identity preservation systems, they contain living modified organisms and are not intended for intentional introduction into the environment, as well as a contact point for further information?

This question is relevant to indicator 1.6.1 of the Strategic Plan

110. Has your country taken measures to require that documentation accompanying LMOs that are destined for contained use clearly identifies them as living modified organisms and specifies any requirements for the safe handling, storage, transport and use, the contact point for further information, including the name and address of the individual and institution to whom the LMO are consigned?

This question is relevant to indicator 1.6.2 of the Strategic Plan

112. Has your country taken measures to require that documentation accompanying LMOs that are intended for intentional introduction into the environment of the Party of import, clearly identifies them as living modified organisms; specifies the identity and relevant traits and/or characteristics, any requirements for the safe handling, storage, transport and use, the contact point for further information and, as appropriate, the name and address of the importer and exporter; and contains a declaration that the movement is in conformity with the requirements of this Protocol applicable to the exporter?

This question is relevant to indicator 1.6.2 of the Strategic Plan

114. Does your country have available any guidance for the purpose of ensuring the safe handling, transport, and packaging of living modified organisms?

This question is relevant to indicator 1.6.4 of the Strategic Plan

115. Does your country have the capacity to enforce the requirements of identification and documentation of LMOs?

116. How many customs officers in your country have received training in the identification of LMOs?

This question is relevant to indicator 2.3.1 of the Strategic Plan

None

117. Has your country established procedures for the sampling and detection of LMOs?

118. How many laboratory personnel in your country have received training in detection of LMOs?

This question is relevant to indicator 2.3.1 of the Strategic Plan

One or more

119. Does your country have reliable access to laboratory facilities for the detection of LMOs?

This question is relevant to indicator 2.3.2 of the Strategic Plan

120. How many laboratories in your country are certified for LMO detection?

This question is relevant to indicator 2.3.3 of the Strategic Plan

None

122. Here you may provide further details on the implementation of Article 18 in your country:

It will be taken care of in the draft regulations to be updated

Article 19 – Competent National Authorities and National Focal Points

123. In case your country has designated more than one competent national authority, has your country established a mechanism for the coordination of their actions prior to taking decisions regarding LMOs?

Not applicable

124. Has your country established adequate institutional capacity to enable the competent national authority(ies) to perform the administrative functions required by the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety?

125. Here you may provide further details on the implementation of Article 19 in your country

Suriname has appointed a National Focal Point for liaison with the Secretariat. In the near future two competent authorities will be appointed: one at the Office of the President which is the institute for the national coordination of environmental matter. The second competent authority will be assigned at an approriate ministry or an executing institue from the government or semi-governmental institute which is indeed competent and capacitated, having well-trained employees on the subject, well-equipped laboratories and the respective mandate to operate and fulfill the tasks.

Article 20 – Information Sharing and the Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH)

126. Please provide an overview of the status of the mandatory information provided by your country to the BCH by specifying for each category of information whether it is available and whether it has been submitted to the BCH.

This question is relevant to indicator 3.1.5 of the Strategic Plan

a) Existing national legislation, regulations and guidelines for implementing the Protocol, as well as information required by Parties for the advance informed agreement procedure (Article 20, paragraph 3 (a))

Information not available

b) National laws, regulations and guidelines applicable to the import of LMOs intended for direct use as food or feed, or for processing (Article 11, paragraph 5)

Information not available

c) Bilateral, multilateral and regional agreements and arrangements (Articles 14, paragraph 2 and 20, paragraph 3 (b))

Information not available

d) Contact details for competent national authorities (Article 19, paragraphs 2 and 3), national focal points (Article 19, paragraphs 1 and 3), and emergency contacts (Article 17, paragraph 3 (e))

Information available but not in the BCH

e) Reports submitted by the Parties on the operation of the Protocol (Article 20, paragraph 3 (e))

Information available but not in the BCH

f) Decisions by a Party on regulating the transit of specific living modified organisms (LMOs) (Article 6, paragraph 1)

Information not available

g) Occurrence of unintentional transboundary movements that are likely to have significant adverse effects on biological diversity (Article 17, paragraph 1)

Information not available

h) Illegal transboundary movements of LMOs (Article 25, paragraph 3)

Information not available

i) Final decisions regarding the importation or release of LMOs (i.e. approval or prohibition, any conditions, requests for further information, extensions granted, reasons for decision) (Articles 10, paragraph 3 and 20, paragraph 3(d))

Information not available

j) Information on the application of domestic regulations to specific imports of LMOs (Article 14, paragraph 4)

Information not available

k) Final decisions regarding the domestic use of LMOs that may be subject to transboundary movement for direct use as food or feed, or for processing (Article 11, paragraph 1)

Information not available

l) Final decisions regarding the import of LMOs intended for direct use as food or feed, or for processing that are taken under domestic regulatory frameworks (Article 11, paragraph 4) or in accordance with annex III (Article 11, paragraph 6) (requirement of Article 20, paragraph 3(d))

Information not available

m) Declarations regarding the framework to be used for LMOs intended for direct use as food or feed, or for processing (Article 11, paragraph 6)

Information not available

n) Review and change of decisions regarding intentional transboundary movements of LMOs (Article 12, paragraph 1)

Information not available

o) LMOs granted exemption status by each Party (Article 13, paragraph 1)

Information not available

p) Cases where intentional transboundary movement may take place at the same time as the movement is notified to the Party of import (Article 13, paragraph 1)

Information not available

q) Summaries of risk assessments or environmental reviews of LMOs generated by regulatory processes and relevant information regarding products thereof (Article 20, paragraph 3 (c))

Information not available

127. Has your country established a mechanism for strengthening the capacity of the BCH National Focal Point to perform its administrative functions?

128. Has your country established a mechanism for the coordination among the BCH National Focal Point, the Cartagena Protocol focal point, and the competent national authority(ies) for making information available to the BCH?

Yes, to some extent

129. Does your country use the information available in the BCH in its decision making processes on LMOs?

Not applicable

130. Has your country experienced difficulties accessing or using the BCH?

This question is relevant to indicator 4.1.8 of the Strategic Plan

Here you may provide further details

We do experience difficulties. But we think that we can overcome that in the near future with some guidance from specialists of the Secretariat.

131. Is the information submitted by your country to the BCH complete and up-to date?

132. Please indicate the number of regional, national and international events organized in relation to biosafety (e.g. seminars, workshops, press conferences, educational events, etc.,) in the last 2 years:

This question is relevant to indicator 4.3.1 of the Strategic Plan

One or more

133. Please indicate the number of biosafety related publications that has been made available in your country in the last year:

This question is relevant to indicator 4.3.2 of the Strategic Plan

None

135. Here you may provide further details on the implementation of Article 20 in your country

There are reports from surveys conducted by students from the Anton de Kom University of Suriname, guided by a biologist/plant protection specialist. The information that is available will be validated in the future and made available to the public through the BCH mechnism. There are plans to undertake new surveys with an extended approach.

Article 21 – Confidential information

136. Has your country established procedures to protect confidential information received under the Protocol?

137. Does your country allow the notifier to identify information that is to be treated as confidential?

Article 22 – Capacity-building

139. Does your country have predictable and reliable funding for building capacity for the effective implementation of the Protocol?

This question is relevant to indicator 1.2.6 and 3.1.8 of the Strategic Plan

140. Has your country received external support or benefited from collaborative activities with other Parties in the development and/or strengthening of human resources and institutional capacities in biosafety?

Yes, to some extent

Here you may provide further details

Example: Recently, a microbiologist and food safety specialist receievd training in laboratory techniques regarding DNA testing and sequencing by means of Elyza to tract LMOs and GMOs. However, it should be mentioned that one training is not sufficient; neither is the number of just one person that received the training.

141. If you answered Yes to question 140, how were these resources made available?

Multilateral channels

142. Has your country provided support to other Parties in the development and/or strengthening of human resources and institutional capacities in biosafety?

144. Has your country ever initiated a process to access GEF funds for building capacity in biosafety?

146. Has your country ever received funding from the GEF for building capacity in biosafety?

Development of national biosafety frameworks

147. During the current reporting period, has your country undertaken activities for the development and/or strengthening of human resources and institutional capacities in biosafety?

Yes, to some extent

Here you may provide further details

An environmental officer is appointed to be the focal point at the Coordination unit at the Office of the President in assisting the National Focal point; the National Steering Committee will be enriched with a few more specialists from other ministries and NGOs in the first quarter of 2016; a specialist is trained in tracking LMOs and GMOs by means of laboratory tests; it was communicated to the regional project manager of the biosafety project that Suriname has recently renewed its interest to the project since the change of focal point in the year 2012 in having the laboratory of the ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries equipped with the needed equipment for analyses of LMOs and GMOs or material containing parts of LMOs and GMOS.

148. If you answered Yes to question 147, in which of the following areas were these activities undertaken?

Human resources capacity development and training
Scientific, technical and institutional collaboration at subregional, regional and international levels
Technology transfer
Identification of LMOs, including their detection

149. During the current reporting period, has your country carried out a capacity-building needs assessment?

This question is relevant to indicator 1.2.1 of the Strategic Plan

151. Does your country still have capacity-building needs?

This question is relevant to indicator 1.2.7 of the Strategic Plan

152. If you answered Yes to question 151, indicate which of the following areas still need capacity-building.

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

153. Has your country developed a capacity-building strategy or action plan?

This question is relevant to indicator 1.2.2 of the Strategic Plan

154. Does your country have in place a functional national mechanism for coordinating biosafety capacity-building initiatives?

This question is relevant to indicator 1.2.4 of the Strategic Plan

155. How many biosafety short-term training programmes and/or academic courses are offered annually in your country?

This question is relevant to indicator 1.2.3 of the Strategic Plan

Less than 1 per year

156. Has your country submitted the details of national biosafety experts to the Roster of Experts in the BCH?

Article 23 – Public awareness and participation

158. Has your country established a strategy or put in place legislation for promoting and facilitating public awareness, education and participation concerning the safe transfer, handling and use of LMOs?

159. Has your country designed and/or implemented an outreach/communication strategy on biosafety?

This question is relevant to indicator 5.3.2 of the Strategic Plan

160. Does your country have any awareness and outreach programmes on biosafety?

This question is relevant to indicator 5.3.1 of the Strategic Plan

162. Has your country established a biosafety website searchable archives, national resource centres or sections in existing national libraries dedicated to biosafety educational materials?

This question is relevant to indicators 2.5.3 and 5.3.3 of the Strategic Plan

163. How many collaborative initiatives (including joint activities) on the Cartagena Protocol and other Conventions and processes has your government established in the last 4 years?

This question is relevant to indicator 5.2.1 of the Strategic Plan

None

164. Has your country established a mechanism to ensure public access to information on living modified organisms that may be imported?

165. Has your country established a mechanism to consult the public in the decision-making process regarding LMOs?

This question is relevant to indicator 2.5.1 of the Strategic Plan

166. Has your country established a mechanism to make available to the public the results of decisions taken on LMOs?

This question is relevant to indicator 2.5.1 of the Strategic Plan

167. Has your country informed the public about existing modalities for public participation in the decision-making process regarding living modified organisms?

This question is relevant to indicator 2.5.2 of the Strategic Plan

170. Has your country taken any initiative to inform its public about the means of public access to the Biosafety Clearing-House?

171. How many academic institutions in your country are offering biosafety education and training courses and programmes?

This question is relevant to indicator 2.7.1 of the Strategic Plan

None

172. Please indicate the number of educational materials and/or online modules on biosafety that are available and accessible to the public in your country:

This question is relevant to indicators 2.7.2 and 5.3.4 of the Strategic Plan

None

173. In the current reporting period, has your country promoted and facilitated public awareness, education and participation concerning the safe transfer, handling and use of LMOs?

175. In the current reporting period, how many times has your country consulted the public in the decision-making process regarding LMOs and made the results of such decisions available to the public?

Never

176. Here you may provide further details on the implementation of Article 23 in your country

In the draft National Biosafety Workplan public awareness is one of the main activities to be executed. This plan will be updated in 2016 and if the necessary financial support is provided, be implemented.

Article 24 – Non-Parties

177. Has your country entered into any bilateral, regional, or multilateral agreement with non-Parties regarding transboundary movements of LMOs?

178. Has your country ever imported LMOs from a non-Party?

179. Has your country ever exported LMOs to a non-Party?

Article 25 – Illegal transboundary movements

184. Has your country adopted domestic measures aimed at preventing and/or penalizing transboundary movements of LMOs carried out in contravention of its domestic measures to implement this Protocol?

185. Has your country established a strategy for detecting illegal transboundary movements of LMOs?

186. In the current reporting period, how many times has your country received information concerning cases of illegal transboundary movements of an LMO to or from territories under its jurisdiction?

If you replied Never to question 186 please go to question 191

Never

Article 26 – Socio-economic considerations

192. Does your country have any specific approaches or requirements that facilitate how socio-economic considerations should be taken into account in LMO decision making?

This question is relevant to indicator 1.7.2 of the Strategic Plan

193. If your country has taken a decision on import, has it ever taken into account socio-economic considerations arising from the impact of the LMO on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity?

Not applicable

194. How many peer-reviewed published materials has your country used for the purpose of elaborating or determining national actions with regard to socio-economic considerations?

This question is relevant to indicator 1.7.1 of the Strategic Plan

One or more

195. What is your country's experience, if any, in taking socio-economic considerations into account in LMO decision making? Please give details:

This question is relevant to indicator 1.7.3 of the Strategic Plan

No experience yet

196. Has your country cooperated with other Parties on research and information exchange on any socio-economic impacts of LMOs?

197. Here you may provide further details on the implementation of Article 26 in your country

Suriname doesn't produce LMOs and/or GMOs. At this point no information is available on socio-economic research or experience on impacts of such organisms on biodiversity or its value to Indigenous and local communities. However, there are reports indicating the impact of Invasive Species and Invasive Alien Species on biodiversity. More research on this topic is needed.

Article 27 – Liability and Redress

198. Has your country ratified or acceded to the Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress?

199. If you answered No to question 198, is there any national process in place towards becoming a Party?

200. Has your country received any financial and/or technical assistance for capacity-building in the area of liability and redress relating to living modified organisms?

This question is relevant to indicator 2.4.1 of the Strategic Plan

201. Does your country have administrative or legal instrument that provide for response measures for damage to biodiversity resulting from living modified organisms?

This question is relevant to indicators 1.5.2 and 2.4.2 of the Strategic Plan

Article 28 – Financial Mechanism and Resources

203. How much additional funding (in the equivalent of US dollars) has your country mobilized in the last four years to support implementation of the Biosafety Protocol, beyond the regular national budgetary allocation?

This question is relevant to indicator 1.2.5 of the Strategic Plan

Less than 5,000 USD

Article 33 – Monitoring and reporting

204. Does your country have in place a monitoring and/or an enforcement system for the implementation of the Cartagena Protocol?

This question is relevant to indicator 3.1.6 of the Strategic Plan

a) Monitoring system:

b) Enforcement system:

205. Has your country submitted all the previous due National Reports?

Other information

184. Please use this field to provide any other information on issues related to national implementation of the Protocol, including any obstacles or impediments encountered.

Obstacles: lack of awareness; lack of legislation and enforcement; lack of specialists on the subject; poorly equipped laboratory and lack of technicians for conducting laboratory analysese and interpreting results; overall lack of the finances.