Five COMIFAC countries join the Nagoya Protocol on access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits (APA)

Yaounde, 3 October 2011 – Two COMIFAC countries, the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo, signed alongside the sixty sixth UN General Assembly the Nagoya Protocol on access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits derived from their use (APA) relating to the Convention on biological diversity (CBD). They join Gabon, Central African Republic and Rwanda.

To date, 64 countries have signed the Nagoya Protocol as CBD parties. Adopted by the 10^th Conference of the Parties (Nagoya CoP10 of October 2010) at the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Protocol was opened for signature in February 2011 and shall become effective 90 days after the submission of the fifth ratification instrument. The pace set by signatures today clearly evidences a run up towards the fast entering into force of the Protocol by the eleventh meeting of the Conference of Parties at the Convention on Biological Diversity, scheduled to hold from 8 to 19 October 2012 in India.

The entering into force of the Nagoya Protocol shall provide greater legal and transparent assurance for providers and users of genetic resources, thus setting up an environment which favours the use of related traditional genetic resources while strengthening opportunities for the fair and equitable sharing of benefits resulting from their use.

The World Environment Funds (FEM) provided financial support for the fast entering into force and the effective implementation of the Nagoya Protocol. The fund for the Nagoya Protocol implementation was established by FEM with an initial financial contribution of $US 12.5 millions from Japan. Moreover, a $US 1 million project provides support to the ratification and the fast entering into force of the Nagoya Protocol, through a number of sensitisation and capacity building activities. This project is implemented by the Secretariat of the Convention on biological diversity and is now fully operational.

It should be reminded that COMIFAC has an APA strategy for Central Africa already adopted by the Council of Ministers and that with support from Japan, all countries in the world, including COMIFAC countries, are working relentlessly to finalize national action plans (post Nagoya) by end 2012.

For further information, please download:

PRESS RELEASE – Nagoya Protocol on Genetic Resources Reaches 64 Signatures - Montréal, 28 September 2011

Objectif Terre – Liaison Bulletin of the francophone area on Sustainable Development Volume 13, Issue 2 – June 2011

Back to top of page