Thursday, 8th October 2009
08.30
Introduction to the day
Background presentations: Africa
Overview of African realities, concerns and perspectives regarding ABS
ABS in Africa: Realities, Opportunities, Challenges and Constraints- Pierre du Plessis, Namibia, CRIAA-SADC
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Pierre-GTZ_ABS_business_dialogue_African_realities_8Oct09.ppsx |
77 kB |
Discussions on:
- Risk sharing
- Compliance mechanism
- Conservation of GR
Rationale behind the thinking of the African Group when it comes to sectoral approaches- Ossama al Tayyeb, ABS Focal Point, Egypt
-The mandate of COP describes an IRABS- which is one international rather than national regimes
-This stems from the idea of sustainable development and the IRABS should serve the purpose of sustainable development
- A biological resource should extend beyond single uses and is also linked to TK
- In fact ABS in the CBD was initially focused on BR/GR, but when the whole CBD is taken as a package it was seen as important to link it to other aspects of BR/GR and conservation and sustainable use which is TK
- A sectoral approach may lead to multiple rules, procedures and compliance mechanisms for the same resource, and the conflict between these systems may make it difficult for business to make a choice and some of them may look for a soft spot here and end up with shopping for different rules
- The CBD has established national sovereignty over GR- but these exchanges have been common for a number of years. But because of the growth of biotech and the extension of patents into life forms, the CBD was seen as a defense against appropriation or privatization
- Satisfying the 3 objectives of the CBD is the key
Discussions on:
- IP protection
- Compliance rules and sectoral approaches
- Common heritage versus national sovereign rights on biodiverity
- IR: an umbrella structure
10.30
Coffee
11.00
Background presentations: Business
Overview of realities, concerns and perspectives of industries involved with ABS
"Business and Biodiversity"
Daphne Yong d'Hervé, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)
Discussions on:
- Scope
- Non discrimination
- Disclosure
Access and Benefit Sharing for Beneficial Insects and Mites –Johannette Klapwijk IBMA
Discussion on:
TK
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Microsoft_PowerPoint_-_Julia_Business_and_ABS_dialogue_October_2009.1.pdf |
4.3 MB |
Example of a Proactive ABS from Namibia
Cyril Lombard
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0.9 MB |
Discussion on:
- Local demand driven and convergence with national development objectives / Proactive policy
- Cost
- Regional tools
- Issues linked to conservation and sustainable use and benefit sharing
12.30
Lunch
14.00
Joint reflections on presentations Participants were asked to gather in two groups (i) African Group and (ii) Business representatives, to discuss what they had heard/understood from other side and what that implies for them. Each group then selected two two delegates for a "Fishbowl" discussion. ("Fishbowl": Two representatives of the African Group and two representatives of business along with two facilitators sat in a circle and began to discuss key issues that had arisen from the previous reflections. Two empty chairs were open for other participants to take turns to sit on and contribute to the discussion.) The outcomes of the fishbowl discussion were added to the key issues arising from Hopes and Concerns (cp. previous day): |
Completed list of key issues at this point - Transparency and confidentiality - Trust and collaboration - Tracking and/or checkpoints - Communication, public awareness and education (CEPA) - Impacts on innovation - Impacts on conservation and sustainable use - Derivatives - Optimal level of bureaucracy - Balance between Compliance measures and innovation - Facilitated access - International regime and implementation at national, regional+local+community levels - TK - Non-monetary benefits - Flexibility - Options for IP protection - Change of use (non-commercial, commercial) - Costs - IR and links witk other international fora - Disclosure - Sectoral approaches - Non-discrimination - Scope - Compliance - Certificates
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Identifying key issues to explore further, in terms of options and possible implications Participants now regrouped the list of key issues into four clusters. For each cluster, a task was defined for subgroups to work on during the next morning. Cluster / Group 1: "Describe a possible road map" - Disclosure - Options for IP protection - Certificate - Compliance - PIC and MAT - Dispute resolution - Tracking and/or checkpoints - Transparency and confidentiality Cluster / Group 2: Collect ideas on implementation mechanisms - Sectoral approaches - Links to other international fora - Flexibility - Optimal levels of bureaucracy - Costs of implementation - International regime and implementation at national, regional+local+community levels Cluster / Group 3: Common understanding of a possible scope - TK - Scope - Derivatives Cluster / Group 4: Collect ideas on how to achieve best cooperation - Facilitated access - Balance compliance + innovation - Change of use (academic research, commercial, commodities) - Impacts on innovation - Trust and collaboration - Non-monetary benefits - Non discrimination Two more general elements were not clustered or addressed by the four groups: - Impacts on conservation and sustainable use - Communication, public awareness and education (CEPA) Finally, participants formed 4 groups for the next day, based on individual interests and competence. The only criterion was that the groups had to be mixed, i.e. having both African and business representatives in each group.
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18.00
End of day's programme
