Objectives
Within the current CBD debate an “International Certificate of Origin/Source/Legal Provenance” is considered by many a potential ‘pillar’ of the International Regime on Access and Benefit Sharing. In accordance with COP decision VIII/4 C a Group of Technical Experts on an internationally recognised certificate of origin/source/legal provenance met from 22nd to 25th January 2007 in Lima, Peru. The Expert Group was tasked to provide technical input to the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Access and Benefit-sharing (WG-ABS) on the following issues:
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Consider the possible rationale, objectives and the need for an internationally recognised certificate of origin/source/legal provenance;
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Define the potential characteristics and features of different options of such an internationally recognised certificate;
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Analyse the distinctions between the options of certificate of origin/source/legal provenance and the implications of each of the options for achieving the objectives of Articles 15 and 8(j) of the Convention;
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Identify associated implementation challenges, including the practicality, feasibility, costs and benefits of the different options, including mutual supportiveness and compatibility with the Convention and other international agreements.
A concise background document which has been prepared by the Secretariat of the CBD is available as 
http://www.biodiv.org/doc/meetings/abs/absgte-01/official/absgte-01-02-en.doc. Five African experts from Algeria, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mozambique, and Niger had been nominated as members of this group.
Against this background and to empower African stakeholders and negotiators to have a “hearable” voice in the upcoming negotiations on the “International Certificate of Origin/Source/Legal Provenance” the strategic objectives of the workshop are as follows:
- Facilitate the information flow to all African stakeholders concerned. As one of the central instruments for the International ABS Regime under discussion, an “International Certificate of Origin/Source/Legal Provenance” will eventually impact on all transactions of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge as well as permitting and product registration systems including intellectual property registration. Therefore, all stakeholder groups must be able to participate in the discussion on an informed basis.
- Contribute to a common position of the African Group by analysing the Experts Group’s recommendations against African biopropsecting experiences. Such a “reality check” will provide insight into the needs and requirements of African stakeholders to improve ABS towards more equitable and fair transactions of biological/genetic resources and benefit-sharing agreements.
