With a focus on institutional and national capacity building as well as a synergistic implementation of the clusters, the programme on capacity building related to Multilateral Environment Agreements in African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries (the ACP MEAs Programme) aims to reduce the adverse effects of biodiversity loss and contribute to the sound management of chemicals, including the adequate disposal of waste and obsolete pesticides. This programmes operates under three Hubs, namely: African Hub / Caribbean Hub / and the Pacific Hub.
The programme’s Africa Hub in collaboration with the UN Environment Liaison Office to the Government of Ethiopia, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Union Commission (AUC) held a workshop from 12 to 13 December 2017 at the African Union Commission premises in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in order to promote the ratification of the Nagoya Protocol and the Kuala Lumpur Protocol.
Under the Convention of Biological Diversity, the Nagoya Protocol is an instrument for the fair and equitable access and benefit sharing of genetic resources and the Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol (which will enter into force in March 2018) serves as a redress and liability framework for biosafety. With over 25 attendees, the participation was not limited to non-Signatories but also included focal points from countries that could share their experiences as well as regional stakeholders.
The workshop ensured that country representatives had a good understanding of the significance and purpose of the protocols, their ratification process, their global and local benefits, and means of effective implementation.
For more information, please contact Anjana.Varma@un.org
