Capacity-building

Article 22 of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety obliges Parties to cooperate in the development and/or strengthening of human resources and institutional capacities in biosafety, including in the field of biotechnology to the extent necessary for biosafety purposes. This cooperation is intended to ensure the effective implementation of the Protocol. In doing so, Parties are required to take full account of the needs of developing country Parties and Parties with economies in transition, particularly in relation to financial resources, access to and transfer of technology, and the sharing of technical know-how.  

To fulfil their obligations under the Protocol, Parties must have access to appropriate institutional mechanisms and infrastructure, adequately trained human resources, sufficient financial resources, and relevant information, along with other necessary capacities.  In decision CP-10/4, the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety adopted the Capacity-building Action Plan for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. The Action Plan is intended to facilitate the development and strengthening of the capacities of Parties to effectively implement the Protocol. 

It seeks to achieve this by:  (a) Identifying key areas for capacity-building aligned with the goals of the Implementation Plan for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety;  (b) Facilitating the engagement of partners, including donors;  (c) Fostering a coherent and coordinated approach to capacity-building for the implementation of the Protocol; and  (d) Promoting regional and international cooperation and coordination.  

The Capacity-building Action Plan covers the same timeframe as the Implementation Plan, extending until 2030.