Background

Meeting of African Leaders on Access and Benefit-Sharing in preparation for the High-level Segment of the 9th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity

Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) is a major issue emerging for most African countries, requiring political awareness and guidance, technical knowledge and functioning regulations, which allow for access to genetic resources while ensuring benefits for the provider country on all levels – from communities, where the resources are found, to the government institutions. That is why the Dutch-German ABS Capacity Development Initiative for Africa focuses, amongst others, on informing and supporting African decision makers to actively engage in the negotiation and development of the international ABS regime (for further information on the Initiative, please visits www.abs-africa.info). To provide a platform for African leaders to prepare for the high-level segment of COP-9 – with a special focus on ABS – the Initiative in partnership with the Government of the Seychelles organized a briefing for African Ministers of the CBD Focal Ministries accompanied by their National Focal Points for CBD which are actively engaged in the negotiation of the international regime and have a key role in the further implementation of ABS regulations on the African continent. This briefing was supported by the Secretariat of the CBD.