Workshop Review
The Regional ABS Capacity-Building Workshop for Eastern and Southern Africa, held from 2nd to 6th October in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, was attended by 50 participants of 15 different countries. Ethiopia as host country was strongly committed to the topic giving a high input in terms of know-how, material, technical assistance as well as manpower. National media were also interested in the workshop with broad press coverage including TV channels who raised the subject on their current agenda.
The Workshop took place at the Institute of Biodiversity Conservation (IBC), a very appropriate venue for the meeting. The meeting opened the possibility for a real multi stakeholder dialogue: As pointed out by many of the participants, this was the first time that representatives of local communities, NGOs, national legislation, science and politics reached the objective to talk with each other and not about the others on ABS. Unfortunately industry representatives were missing as workshop participants.
Led in open discussions, the dialogue was substantively goal oriented. In several working groups a broad range of cases of bioprospection and biopiracy were presented - geographically wide spread and with a large variety in content concerning different aspects of ABS. Furthermore, drafted and implemented legislations on ABS in Eastern and Southern Africa have not only been introduced to the participants but it was also discussed how far these examples match the needs and requirements of the different stakeholder groups.
Highlights of the workshop were amongst others a panel debate on traditional knowledge and modern science regarding ABS and a discussion with the Ambassador of the Netherlands, H.E. Fons Hennekens on the Workshop’s draft recommendations and their political feasibility.
On the occasion of two fieldtrips participants could make "hands on experience" facilitated by IBC, the GTZ Office in Addis Ababa and the SUN (Sustainable Use of Natural Resources for Food Security) Programme:
One was to the Oromo Community at Hora Harsadi Lake at Bishoftu, near Debre Zeit. Optionally participants also attended the trip to Abijata Shalla National Park as well as the forests and hot springs of Wondo Genet, including the Wondo Genet College of Forestry (WGCF), and the Bishan Gari Lodge, an example for ecotourism in the area. Moreover the visit of two gene banks (medicinal plants and forest genetic resources), in which in situ and ex situ conservation can be found, opened an interesting view on local facilities. The field trips gave a lot of "food" for thought and discussion on how biodiversity conservation together with poverty alleviation can be practically achieved on the local level.
The drafting team who elaborated in extra night sessions the recommendations for the national and international stakeholder’s presentation in Granada and COP 8 (in Curitiba, Brazil from 20 to 31 March 2006) have to be specially acknowledged for their tremendous work.
Furthermore the participants also owe a special gratitude to the government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Institute of Biodiversity Conservation (IBC) in particular who made the whole meeting possible with their immense support.
Complete overview of workshop matrix
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