Year in Review 2006 - Convention on Biological Diversity

the Work<strong>in</strong>g Group developed an <strong>in</strong>dicative list of
criteria for the assessment of the effectiveness of
any rules and procedures referred to <strong>in</strong> Article 27 of
the Protocol. Article 27 requires the COP to adopt a
process with respect to the appropriate elaboration
of <strong>in</strong>ternational rules and procedures <strong>in</strong> the field
of liability and redress for damage result<strong>in</strong>g from
transboundary movements of LMOs, analys<strong>in</strong>g and
tak<strong>in</strong>g due account of the on-go<strong>in</strong>g processes <strong>in</strong>
<strong>in</strong>ternational law on these matters, and to endeavour
to complete this process with<strong>in</strong> four years. The
Work<strong>in</strong>g Group also considered a synthesis of views
and proposed text on the approaches, options and
issues from the annex to the report of the first meet<strong>in</strong>g
of the Work<strong>in</strong>g Group. In particular, the Work<strong>in</strong>g
Group developed different options for operational
text on scope, damage and causation.
Cooperation on Biosafety
Dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>2006</strong> the Secretariat <strong>in</strong>tensified its collaborative
efforts, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g efforts to ga<strong>in</strong> World
Trade Organization (WTO) observer status <strong>in</strong> the
Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Agreement
(SPS) and the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT)
committees, and enhanc<strong>in</strong>g synergies with other
processes and <strong>in</strong>itiatives.
The Secretariat also cont<strong>in</strong>ued to strengthen
its work<strong>in</strong>g relationship with the International
Plant Protection <strong>Convention</strong> (IPPC), and <strong>in</strong> October
<strong>2006</strong> the Secretariat <strong>in</strong>itiated a process to enhance
cooperation with the United Nations Industrial Development
Organization (UNIDO). A new expanded
Memorandum of Cooperation was prepared, replac<strong>in</strong>g
the one signed <strong>in</strong> 2001. Under the new MoC, the
two organizations will cooperate <strong>in</strong> strengthen<strong>in</strong>g
the capacity of develop<strong>in</strong>g countries with regard to
the implementation of the Protocol and promot<strong>in</strong>g
biosafety <strong>in</strong>formation exchange.
Dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>2006</strong>, support for the Protocol cont<strong>in</strong>ued
to grow. The number of Parties to the Protocol grew
by n<strong>in</strong>e per cent from the previous year and the Protocol
entered <strong>in</strong>to force <strong>in</strong> 14 additional countries.
By the end of the year the number of Parties to the
Protocol was 136, with six countries submitt<strong>in</strong>g letters
to the Secretariat stat<strong>in</strong>g their political commitment
towards becom<strong>in</strong>g Parties to the Protocol.
Fact
Article 8(j) of the <strong>Convention</strong>
states that benefits aris<strong>in</strong>g from
the application of traditional
knowledge, <strong>in</strong>novations and
practices should be shared
equitably with the <strong>in</strong>digenous and
local communities concerned.
Ahmed Djoghlaf, CBD Executive Secretary,
with members of the Article 8
(j) Advisory Group. From left: Erjen
C. Khamaganova, Russian Federation,
Marianne Jensen, Denmark/Greenland,
Lucy Mulenkei, Kenya, Jannie Lasimbag,
Malaysia, Sonia Smallacombe, UN
Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
Secretariat, Gladman Chibememe,
Zimbabwe and Sandy Gauntlett, New
Zealand. Photo: ENB/IISD RS
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