Press Release - For Immediate Release
Kigali, 27 August 2018

Rwanda to host Pan African Workshop on Access and Benefit Sharing of Genetic Resources

Rwanda will from 28–30 August 2018 host a Pan African Workshop on Access and Benefit Sharing of Genetic Resources (ABS). The workshop will bring together participants from across Africa representing a wide array of ABS practitioners and experts including policy makers, researchers and academia, private sector, local communities, civil society, development partners and the media.

Participants will share experiences on Access and Benefit Sharing of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge in Africa. They will also discuss the challenges hindering countries from translating the potential of their genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge into business opportunities and development benefits.

The workshop is organised by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Secretariats of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) through the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA).

The workshop comes ahead of the 14th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP14). It aims to showcase Africa’s knowledge and wisdom, support the achievements of national Sustainable Development Goals’ targets and build critical capacities to harness the innovative potential of Africa’s genetic resources and traditional knowledge. The workshop will also share the knowledge accumulated from country experiences in implementing the Nagoya Protocol in Africa.

“We look forward to hosting this workshop and sharing lessons learned in developing Access and Benefit Sharing legal and policy frameworks. We will learn from countries across Africa on how to value genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, as well as how to monitor their use,” said Eng. Coletha Ruhamya, Director General, Rwanda Environment Management Authority.

Rwanda has prepared a draft law regulating the access and benefit sharing of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge. This draft law is expected to be passed in the near future.

About the Nagoya Protocol

The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (ABS) is a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

It provides a transparent legal framework for the effective implementation of one of the three objectives of the CBD: the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.

The Nagoya Protocol on ABS was adopted on 29 October 2010 in Nagoya, Japan and entered into force on 12 October 2014. Its objective is the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources, thereby contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

The Nagoya Protocol was ratified by Rwanda in March 2012. The Protocol is of paramount importance, especially to developing countries which are in position to benefit meaningfully from their biological resources and associated traditional knowledge, which has been exploited over the years (especially in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries) without tangible benefits.

Workshop Details:

• Date and time: 28-30 August 2018
• Venue: Marriott Hotel

Media Enquiries

• Clarisse Kawera
  Communication and Public Relations Officer
  Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA)
  +250 788273000
  ckawera@rema.gov.rw
• Deogratias Nkurunziza
  Communication Associate
  UNDP Rwanda
  +250 787307941
  deogratias.nkurunziza@undp.org