Capacity-building
The Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the
Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety,
Action Plan
Recalling its decisions BS-I/5 and decision
BS-II/3;
Taking note of the report on the progress in, and
effectiveness of, the implementation of the Action Plan for
Building Capacities for the Effective Implementation of the
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety contained in the note prepared by
the Executive Secretary (UNEP/CBD/BS/COP-MOP/3/4),
Recognizing the need to take further measures to
improve the implementation and effectiveness of the Action
Plan,
Welcoming the evaluation of the support of the Global
Environment Facility for biosafety contained in document
UNEP/CBD/BS/COP-MOP/3/INF/12,
Reiterating the importance of capacity-building for the
effective implementation of the Protocol and for its continued
development,
Recognizing that capacity-building is a complex issue
requiring urgent as well as long-term sustained efforts to assist
developing country Parties, in particular the least developed and
small island developing States among them, as well as Parties with
economies in transition to fulfil their obligations under the
Protocol,
1. Adopts an updated version of the Action Plan for
Building Capacities for the Effective Implementation of the
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety contained in the annex to this
decision, superseding the one adopted in decision BS-I/5,
annex I;
2. Invites Parties, other Governments and relevant
organizations to implement, as appropriate, the updated Action Plan
referred to above;
3. Calls upon Parties, other Governments,
intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations
and, as appropriate, the private sector to continue extending their
cooperation with developing countries , in particular the least
developed and small island developing States among them, as well as
countries with economies in transition with a view to strengthening
biosafety capacity-building programmes taking into account Article
22 of the Protocol on capacity - building and the Action Plan
annexed to this decision;
4. Invites the Global Environmental Facility, developed
country Parties and Governments, as well as relevant organizations
to take into account the updated Action Plan referred to above and
increase their financial and technical support to developing
countries and countries with economies in transition for its
implementation;
5. Decides to conduct further comprehensive reviews of
the Action Plan every five years;
6. Invites Parties, other Governments and relevant
organizations to provide to the Executive Secretary reports on the
progress in, and effectiveness of, their efforts in implementing
the Action Plan, at least three months prior to the meeting of the
Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to
the Protocol that will undertake the comprehensive review of the
Action Plan in accordance with paragraph 5 above;
7. Urges Parties and other Governments to integrate
biosafety in their broader sustainable development strategies and
approaches and programmes such as Poverty Reduction Strategy
Papers, where available and when scheduled for revision, as well as
those related to the goals and objectives agreed upon at major
United Nations conferences and summits including those agreed upon
at the Millennium Summit that are described as the Millennium
Development Goals;
8. Invites developed country Parties and other
Governments to include biosafety issues in their development aid
policies and strategies, and in their corresponding sectoral and
bilateral programmes;
9. Encourages Parties, other Governments and relevant
organizations to adopt a long-term perspective in the design and
implementation of biosafety capacity-building initiatives, also
focusing on building up countries' research capacities and
institutional frameworks in order to assess their own needs and
possible adverse effects of living modified organisms on the
conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, taking
also into account risks to human health ;
10. Invites developing country Parties and Parties with
economies in transition as well as other Governments to adopt, as
appropriate, the following measures with a view to addressing some
of the key factors limiting the implementation and effectiveness of
the Action Plan at all levels:
a. Promote coordination of donor assistance for biosafety
initiatives at the country level;
b. Mobilize funding from a wide range of sources;
c. Provide, where possible, adequate allocations for biosafety
capacity-building activities in the national budgets;
d. Coordinate and harmonize biosafety frameworks at the regional
and subregional levels;
11. Invites Parties and other Governments, in
collaboration with relevant organizations, to adopt, as
appropriate, the following measures in order to strengthen human
resources for the effective implementation of the Protocol:
(a) Encourage the development of training of trainers'
programmes in technical aspects of biosafety in collaboration with
relevant partners, including regional centres of excellence and
national training institutions;
(b) Develop core local expertise in biosafety through long-term
formal training and/or attachment of personnel to specialized
institutions or centres of excellence, located in the country or
abroad;
(c) Utilize opportunities offered by capacity-building
activities for biotechnology to the extent that they are relevant
for biosafety;
(d) Promote and facilitate direct bilateral exchanges of
technical experts between countries in order to build capacities in
biosafety and encourage bilateral or regional cooperation;
12. Urges Parties, other Governments and relevant
organizations to include in the design of their biosafety
capacity-building initiatives a requirement to provide to the
Biosafety Clearing-House information regarding the activities,
outcomes, best practices and lessons learned from those initiatives
in order to facilitate the broader sharing of such information;
13. Requests the Executive Secretary to prepare, on the
basis of the submissions referred to in paragraph 6 above, a
synthesis report for consideration by the meeting of the Conference
of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the
Protocol that will undertake the comprehensive review of the Action
Plan;
Coordination Mechanism
Welcoming the report of the second coordination meeting
for Governments and organizations implementing or funding biosafety
capacity-building activities, which was held in Tromsø, Norway,
from 18 to 20 January 2006 (UNEP/CBD/COP-MOP/3/INF/5);
Expressing its appreciation to the Government of Norway
for sponsoring and hosting the second coordination meeting referred
to above;
Emphasizing the need for promoting synergies and
partnerships between different capacity-building initiatives in
order foster increased efficiency in the use of available
resources,
14. Reiterates its call made in decision BS-I/5,
paragraph 23, to all Parties and other Governments to establish
national coordination mechanisms for biosafety
capacity-building;
15. Invites developed country Parties, other
Governments and relevant organizations to provide additional
financial and other resources to enable developing country Parties,
in particular the least developed and small island developing
States among them, as well as Parties with economies in transition,
to participate in the global Coordination Mechanism;
16. Invites also developed country Parties, other
Governments and relevant organizations to assist developing country
Parties, in particular the least developed and small island
developing States among them, as well as Parties with economies in
transition to build their capacity to establish and implement
biosafety coordination mechanisms at the national and regional
levels;
17. Urges Parties, other Governments and relevant
organizations to regularly update, as appropriate, information on
their capacity-building submitted to the Biosafety Clearing-House
and to improve the level of detail and quality of the
information;
18. Invites Parties, other Governments and relevant
organizations to document and publicize, including through the
Biosafety Clearing-House, experiences, best practices and lessons
learned in coordination and collaboration;
19. Invites Parties, other Governments, relevant
organizations and regional bodies, including the regional economic
commissions of the United Nations, to organize, as appropriate,
regional and subregional coordination meetings on capacity-building
for biosafety;
20. Encourages Parties, other Governments and relevant
organizations offering to host coordination meetings to invite
participants from both recipient countries and donor Governments
and organizations in order facilitate effective dialogue on the
capacity-building efforts.
Annex
UPDATED ACTION PLAN FOR BUILDING
CAPACITIES FOR THE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BIOSAFETY
PROTOCOL
1. Objective of the Action
Plan
1. The objective of this Action Plan is to facilitate and
support the development and strengthening of capacities for the
ratification and effective implementation of the Cartagena Pro
tocol on Biosafety at the national, sub regional, regional and
global levels in a timely manner. In this regard, the provision of
financial, technical and technological support to developing
countries, in particular the least developed and small island
developing States among them, as well as countries with economies
in transition, including countries amongst these that are centres
of origin and centres of genetic diversity, is essential.
2. To achieve the above objective, this action plan aims to
provide a general strategic framework to guide and facilitate the
identification of co untry needs, priorities, actions and
mechanisms of implementation and funding of capacity-building
efforts at the national, regional and international levels .
2. Guiding principles and
approaches
3. In light of the operational experience and lessons learned
from relevant processes, capacity-building initiatives undertaken
in support of this Action Plan should, as appropriate:
(a) Be country-driven, i.e. responsive to the needs and
priorities identified by the recipient countries themselves, taking
into account the dynamic nature of some capacity-building
needs;
(b) Ensure national ownership and leadership, including the
setting of the agenda and the design, implementation and
coordination of the initiatives;
(c) Ensure systematic and timely participation of all relevant
stakeholders in the formulation planning and implementation of
capacity-building initiatives;.
(d) Recognizing that capacity-building is a dynamic, progressive
and long-term process, apply an adaptive and learning-by-doing
approach;
(e) Maximize synergy and complementarity among all
capacity-building initiatives relevant to biosafety;
(f) Apply a results-oriented approach, focusing on achieving
specific capacity-building outcomes;
(g) Promote policy dialogue with donors and organizations
providing biosafety capacity--building assistance and encourage the
participation of civil society and the private sector in such
dialogue;
(h) Apply a holistic approach, integrating biosafety activities
with relevant sectoral and national policies, strategies and
programmes;
(i) Encourage the development and implementation of
nationally-designed and resourced activities that address the
specific needs and priorities of each country;
(j) Promote high level political will and commitment to the
implementation of the Protocol.
3. Key elements requiring
concrete action
4. The following key elements are meant to be considered in a
flexible manner, taking into account the different situations,
capabilities and stages of development in each country.
(a) Institutional capacity-building:
(i) Legislative and regulatory framework;
(ii) Administrative framework;
(iii) Technical, scientific and telecommunications
infrastructures;
(iv) Funding and resource management;
(v) Mechanisms for follow-up, monitoring and assessment;
(b) Human-resources development and training;
(c) Risk assessment and other scientific and technical
expertise;
(d) Risk management;
(e) Awareness, participation and education at all levels,
including for decision makers, stakeholders and the general
public;
(f) Information exchange and data management, including full
participation in the Biosafety Clearing-House;
(g) Scientific, technical and institutional collaboration at sub
regional, regional and international levels;
(h) Technology transfer;
(i) Identification of living modified organisms, including their
detection;
(j) Socio-economic considerations;
(k) Implementation of the documentation requirements under
Article 18.2 of the Protocol;
(l) Handling of confidential information;
(m) Measures to address unintentional and/or illegal
transboundary movements of living modified organisms;
(n) Scientific biosafety research relating to living modified
organisms;
(o) The taking into account risks to human health.
4. Processes/steps
5. The following processes/steps should be undertaken within
appropriate timeframes:
(a) Identification of existing capacities and assessment of
capacity-building needs;
(b) Prioritization of the key elements by each country and the
sequencing of actions, including development of timelines, for
building capacities in biosafety;
(c) Mobilization of existing capacities and ensuring their
effective utilization;
(d) Identification of the coverage and gaps in capacity-building
initiatives and resources that could support the ratification and
implementation of the Protocol, from the following:
- Global Environment Facility (GEF);
- Multilateral agencies;
- Other international sources;
- Bilateral sources;
- Other stakeholders;
- National sources;
(e) Enhancement of the effectiveness and adequacy of financial
resources to be provided by multilateral and bilateral donors and
other donors to developing countries, in particular the least
developed and small island developing States among them, as well as
countries with economies in transition taking, including countries
amongst these that are centres of origin and centres of genetic
diversity;
(f) Enhancement of synergies and coordination of
capacity-building initiatives at different levels;
(g) Development of indicators for evaluating capacity-building
measures at different levels;
(h) Identification and maximization of opportunities for
partnerships and collaborative initiatives in order to leverage
resources and achieve greater impact.
5. Implementation
6. The activities hereun der are indicative tasks to be
undertaken at different levels to implement the associated elements
and processes identified above. The sequence in which they are
listed does not establish any order of priority:
5.1 National level
(a) Assessment of the effectiveness and adequacy of existing
capacity;
(b) Assessment of the short-term and long-term requirements for
internal and external funding;
(c) Development of a national biosafety capacity-building
strategy and action plan, prioritizing the capacity-building needs
and defining specific objectives, outputs, targets and
timelines;
(d) Integration of biosafety into broader national development
strategies and plans, including country Poverty Reduction Strategy
Papers (PRSPs), country assistance strategies and/or other similar
instruments;
(e) Development and implementation of national biosafety
frameworks;
(f) Development and/or strengthening of institutional,
administrative, financial and technical capacities, including the
designation of national focal points and competent national
authorities;
(g) Development of a mechanism for handling requests or
notifications, including risk assessment and decision-making, as
well as public information and participation;
(h) Establishment of a mechanism for monitoring and
compliance;
(i) Establishment of a mechanism to inform all stakeholders;
(j) Establishment of a system to facilitate appropriate
participation of all relevant stakeholders;
(k) Establishment and/or strengthening of a national
coordination mechanism in order to promote synchronized and
synergistic implementation of capacity-building activities and the
harmonized use of donor assistance at the country level.
5.2 Subregional and regional
levels
(a) Assessment of national, bilateral and multilateral funding;
e. Establishment of regional websites and databases;
f. Establishment of mechanisms for regional and sub regional
coordination and harmonization of biosafety frameworks, where
appropriate;
g. Promotion of regional and subre gional collaborative
arrangements;
h. Establishment of regional and subregional advisory
mechanisms;
i. Establishment and/or strengthening of regional and
subregional centres of excellence and training.
5.3 International level
(a) Ensuring the effective functioning of the Biosafety
Clearing-House;
j. Enhancing the effectiveness, adequacy and coordination of
financial resources provided by multilateral and bilateral donors
and other donors to developing countries, in particular the least
developed and small island developing States among them and
countries with economies in transition, including countries amongst
these that are centres of origin and centres of genetic
diversity;
k. Development and effective use of the roster of experts;
l. Enhancing synergies and coordination among capacity-building
initiatives;
m. Strengthening South-South cooperation;.
n. Development/updating of international guidance by relevant
international organizations, including the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP), the Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations (FAO), IUCN and others;
o. Regular review and provision of further guidance by the
Conference of the Parties to the Convention serving as the meeting
of the Parties to the Protocol.
6. Monitoring and
coordination
7. Because of the multitude of different actors undertaking
different capacity- building initiatives, mutual information,
coordination and regular monitoring will be promoted in order to
avoid duplications and to identify gaps. This exercise will lead to
a focus of capacity- building on biosafety, ratification, and
implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. The
Secretariat and the Biosafety Clearing-House will be actively
involved in the process.
8. The Secretariat will prepare, on the basis of submissions by
Governments, a report on the steps taken by countries,
multilateral/bilateral and other international actors towards the
implementation of the Action Plan. The report will be submitted to
the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties
to the Protocol so that it identifies whether the actions listed
under section 5 above have been carried out successfully and
effectively.
7. Review of the Action
Plan
9. A review of the Action Plan will be undertaken every five
years by the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of
the Parties to the Protocol, based on an independent evaluation of
the effectiveness and outcomes of capacity-building initiatives
implemented in support of the Action Plan.
