"Action Planning & Commitments"

09.00

The session began with different client groups going to the displays of other client groups and seeing whether they can learn something to take back to their own group and add to their displays. This closes all the gaps, and ensures across the board communication

International Science

1) Scientists should not always be treated as biopirates

2) We need to feed back research results to other stakeholders like ILCs

National Focal Points

1) We need to communicate to a variety of stakeholders that there is a national focal point

2) It is important that ILCs recieve recognition that they are custodians of BR

3) Set up the post of an expert in CEPA at the level of the national focal point

4) Users are in need of clear guidance how they can get legal certainty for access

Business/producers

1) There should be transparency and fairness in the process

2) There should be procedures and guidelines and examples of case studies in ABS

3) Sharing research results with all stakeholders

4) Private sector should keep in contact with focal points for clear procedures

ILCs

1) There is a need to empower in the use

2) The IRABS should bridge the gap where there are limitations in national legislation to solve the potential conflicts. Communities should have a forum to raise issues of biopiracy when there is no national legislation in place.

Developers of ABS legislation

1) Harmonisation- to use the certificate of origin across Africa

2) Coordination mechanism at a national guidelines

3) Clear procedures to be followed for access permits

4) Guidelines from govt to target groups  to secure rights of ILCs

5) Improve the negotiating skills of ILCs

SCBD

1) Subregional network for ILCs

2) Good legislation for ABS for the region

3) Local populations need to be empowered so that decisions can be made at a national level

4) Transborder dimension- regional guidelines taking into consideration the transborder issues

Remarks:

The tasks given to the secretariat, this should be done by the countriies and not the secretariat. The secretariat can engage regional bodies if asked to do so, but no real mandate to engage ILCs

We have to specify that we need a good legislation- we have to be clear as to what we mean by good legislaton. We need to ensure that the focal point is not a single person, but should have a structure supporting him/her. It is not possible for one person to do the entire job.

Next Step

Participants were asked to go back to their stakeholder/consultant groups and look at their own recommendations and recommendations made by other groups. Then if they felt there is anything missing then add that to the list. Then move on to the display of other stakeholder groups and see if anything is still missing. If it is, then add to it.

Additional comments:

ILCs:

1) Need proactive help to turn GR and TK into income

2) Engage in regular dialogue with the private sector through national focal point

3) Take  steps to promote, take ownership, invest, share risk, get benefits

4) Need to create a local radio or the utilisation of the existing radio stations

5) Ensure that GR important for livlihood are not abused or destroyed

Business/producers:

1) To put together an exchange mechanism so that information on business opportunities related to GR can be disseminated

2) To avail producers and businesses on the results of research on GR

3) Start linked in groups on ABS

4) Publication by business and industry indicating countries with which ABS has been carried out and how benefits were shared

5) Clear guidelines for getting PIC and MAT

6) Business case for ABS- legal certainty and lower transaction costsR

SCBD

1) progress and results of ABS and implementation exercises should be communicated regularly from focal points of the country where progress is made to the secretariat and then outward to all other focal points in the ABS network to inform all

2) Publication of an ABS info bulletein byy the SCBD (quarterly)

3) Effective presence of SCBD reps in all regional ABS conferences

4) Updating regularly the ABS database and share information at all levels

5) The problem with communicating with the SCBD, is that the focal point is the only conduit. There needs to be a possibility of direct communication

International Science:

1) Communicate to providers the commercial use of research results

2) From the onset research should inform the providers of the very long time it will take to reach possible commercialisation and regularly keep providers informed of the progress the research is making

3) Should communicate to regulators and ABS focal points how/if technology transfer is taking place to national scientific communitty

4) Taxonomy and other basic biodiv research needs simplified ABS procedures

5) Translate research results into policy briefs

6) Create research institutions to simplify research results

7) Organise annual scientific symposiums and facilitate publications on GR

National Focal Points:

1) Fully use and contribute to clearing house mechanism

2) Regular communication amongst stakeholders to facilitate information exchange (info should not only be in the hands of the focal point)

3) ABS bulletin to inform widely on access cases, new procedures, benefits shared etc

4) Info campaign targetting the judiciary

5) Publication of cases of biopiracy by law courts

6) Reinforce with the focal point with a team that includes communication specialists

Developers of ABS regulations:

1) ABS regulators need to communicate also with a) the scientific community b) bioprospecting community c) local authorities and administrators about the need to comunicate that regulations exist (with rights and obligations)

2) To communicate effectively, regulations must establish a legitimate national, multistakeholder group/task team/ committee ABS

3) Regulations transparent, fair and to meet the legitimate interests of all groups

Participants were asked to then prioritise their recommendations with the use of stickers to be submitted as messages to Parties during ABSWG 7 in Paris. Participants were then asked to frame those recommendations which have been given the highest priority in the form of messages:

a) Message from ethnic groups to other related ethnic groups and same group in other locations:

Message

1) ABS is a business opportunity

2) Communities can get benefits in exchange for knowledge on the use of nature

3) Communities should ensure conservation of plants and animals (nature) and of associated TK

How to pass on the message:

Media = word of mouth + radio (community)

1) Community leaders pass on the messages to their community members and to other community leaders. How: At community gatherings and ceremonies (funerals & weddings, cultural & annual rituals)

2) Knowledgeable people (women/men elders, traditional healers etc) pass on the messages. How: At community gatherings and through community radio

3) Women to daughters and youth to youths pass on message

b) Message from scientific community to local communities

Message

- On simplified definitions and descriptions

1) Ministry of science should prepare simple material for communication by researchers to local communities

How to pass on the message

1) Simplified booklets and toolkits

2) Radio

3) Through interest groups

4) Folk media 

c) Message from International Science to regulators:

Message

1) Dont let biopiracy kill basic research

2) Basic biodiversity research creates benefits for sharing

3) Good legislation can build trust between providers and users

How to pass on the message

1) International conference on science and ABS by inviting key stakeholders such as SCBD, UNESCO, CGIAR, ICIPE, B&M Gates foundation, National Focal Points, herbariums, CBOL, DFG, AETFAT, EDIT etc.

d) Message from growers and producers to regulators and ABS focal points:

Message

1) Request clear ABS updates on procedures, guidelines, legal information and examples to keep us informed on progress on ABS in the country

2) Examples of concluded contracts containing PIC, MAT or other MTAs

3) Request for a possible meeting

How to pass on the message

1) Letters

2) To designated national authority/focal point

3) From traders and users of biological resources

e) Message from SCBD to National Decision Makers and National Focal Points

Message

1) We have success stories

2) We give assistance to the parties

3) We are useful and a good partner

4) It is an urgent matter ( cannot miss the boat)

How to pass on the message

1) Direct communication,  E mail Phone meetings and workshop

2) Mass media  Print TV

National country level

International level

Redistribute successful media  warehouse

3) Kit information on ABS: written materials visuals  ( photo, footage)

f) Message  from the National focal point to the Ministry of natural resources

Goal:  To create a national coordination unit to oversee the question of access and benefit sharing arising from the utilisation

Message;

As per message no 0012/CDB?scdb

We kindly ask you to put in place a national coordination unit that brings together experts that deal with this thematic

Sincerely yours

How to pass on the message

Mail, administrative courier

g) Message from regulators to bioprospecting industries

Message: We have the right to exploit forests, fauna, fishery resources and other natural resources but we must respect  the national regulation in place

Slogan :together, let’s prospect and share out natural richness in conformity with the regulation in place

How to pass on the message

Posters in public places

Brochures in research institutes national parks, chamber of commerce.

h) Message from SCBD to providers and users of GR via the parties

Necessity to have a legal platform to avoid uncertainties

Message: refrain from speaking when confronted with legal questions

We are here to help in taking enlightened decisions

No more doubts- we are here

Unique diffusion centre of information related to ABS

Ideal exchange framework  on APS

How to pass on the message

Internet, radio, television, TV advertisement.

12.30

Lunch Break

14.00

 

Plenary:

Road map to Nagoya: Identifying and prioritizing milestones for communication

Meetings in 2009

04

CBD COP Bureau

ABS Working Group 7

05

International Day for Biodiversity

African Ministers of Environment (AMSEN)

Presentation of 4th National Reports

Commission for sustainable development

06

World Intellectual Property Rights Organization

Expert Meeting on TK and ABS

07

African Union Presidents Summit

08

World Forestry Congress

10

World Federation of Science Journalists

11

CBD COP Bureau

Working Group on TK

ABS Working Group 8

2010

03

CBD COP Bureau

ABS WG 9

05

SBSTTA

International Day for Biodiversity

Working Group on Review of Implementation

Commission for sustainable development

06 & 07

Green World Cup- UNEP

09

UN General Assembly

10

COP 10

Message to COP Bureau to be chanelled through African representatives:

1) Raise cross sectoral awareness of ABS

2) Support stronger integration off ABS in CEPA activities

3) Sense of urgency

Credibility messages from SCBD should also be given COP Bureau

Prepare evolving messages for the COP Bureau through the establishment of an ABS CEPA task force

Screen messages that come from this workshop to take to the COP bureau

Develop a task team from the participants of the current workshop, who will look at the proceedings of this meeting, and develop an inf document to be submitted to the SCBD and the COP Bureau

African Task Team for CEPA

# those who will be in Paris to help present the recommendations of this workshop to the African Group and at the side event

1) Lucy #

2) Peter M#

3) Ossama#

4) Robby

5) Gustave

6) Augustine

7) Oko

8) Drabo

9) Ahmed??

10) Haraldo

11) David??

12) Pierre#

13) Joel

14) Suhel#

Conclusion: Participants were asked to write letters to themselves

Letter to myself

1) Write your address on the envelope

2) Write a letter to yourself

a) What I have learned here and do not want to  forget

b) Three things I will do as a result of the workshop

3) Put the letter in the envelope and close it. Hand it to the facilitaros

4) In 4 weeks you will receive mail...(with a German stamp)

5) Only you will read the letter

Participants were then asked to provide their views on the workshop- what they liked and what they didn't

What people liked about the workshop

1) Novel way for reaching recommendations

2) Sharing own knowledge of journalism

3) A new road map for policy making in Tunisia

4) New visions and understanding

5) Better grasp of technical terms

6) Learnt new ways of using moderation cards

7) Importance of targetted communication and clear process

8) Obligations to revisit our vocabulary and perception of ABS through communication

9) Being a minister for an hour (role play)

10) Importance of communication for ABS

11) New instruments for communication of ABS

12) Dialogue with other groups

13) How to approach the other to foster dialogue

14) Unearth gaps in communication and challenges on the ground

15) New learnings on influencing

16) Workshop that's more fun

What people didn't like about the workshop

1) Include a field visit to strengthen friendships and bring us closer together

2) Inadequate representation of indigenous people

3) Balance the ambitions and the time

4) Participation should bring and showcase successful stories and good practice

Thank you and good byes to everyone

17.00

End of Workshop