1. Cooperation between the
African Union (AU)
and the
German Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ)
in biosafety issues by
Hartmut Meyer

2. Capacity Building for the implementation of the Cartagena Protocol
on Biosafety
German Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development, BMZ
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (German Technical Co-operation), GTZ

3. Capacity building instruments
– an overview
Policy advice
Public administration
Biosafety Clearing House Mechanism
Monitoring, evaluation and inspection services
Basic and further training of decision makers, experts and multiplicators
Public awareness raising, education and promotion of public participation

4. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
On 11, Sep 2003, the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB) entered into force.
It sets:
minimum international standards for the evaluation of risks posed by genetically modified organisms;
minimum international standards for governmental decision procedures.

5. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
Its implementation in developing countries is mainly supported through UNEP/GEF biosafety projects. These projects assist countries in establishing a National Biosafety Framework and a Biosafety Clearing House mechanism, and finally to implement the Framework.
Essentially all African countries have participated in one or two of these projects.

6. Issues not sufficiently elaborated under the Protocol
Contained use of LMOs
Domestic development & export of LMOs
Approval of deliberate releases of LMOs
Approval of LMOs and their products for food and feed
Labelling of LMOs and their products for food and feed
National biosafety legislation needs to develop more specific provisions.

7. African Model Law on Safety in Biotechnology
Based on a 1997 submission by the Ethiopian Government on behalf of the African Group in the Cartagena Protocol negotiations
Drafted by an OAU working group
Draft version adopted in May 2001 by: - 50 representatives of 28 African governments - 34 representatives of NGOs, research institutes and biotechnology industry - 5 representatives of the OAU and UNEP
Under revision by the AU Department for Human Resources, Science & Technology

8. The AU Executive Council
4. URGES Member States, in abiding by the provisions of the Cartagena Protocol, to use the African Model Law in Biosafety prepared by the AU Commission as a basis for drafting their national legal instruments in Biosafety, taking into account their national peculiarities, in order to create an harmonized Africa-wide space and system in Biosafety for the regulation of Genetically Modified Organisms movement, transportation and importation in Africa;
July 2003, DECISION ON THE REPORT OF THE INTERIM CHAIRPERSON ON THE AFRICA-WIDE CAPACITY BUILDING IN BIOSAFETY EX/CL/Dec 26 (III)

9. The AU Executive Council
2. STRESSES the need for Member States to equip themselves with the necessary human and institutional capacities to deal with Biosafety issues within the framework of te implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety;
5. APPEALS to the developed countries, particularly Africa’s development partners willing to assist Africa in ist endeavour, to grant the necessary resources as well as financial and technical support towards the implementation of this programme;
6. REQUESTS the Chairperson of the Commission to convene a meeting of Experts and Civil Society Organizations to give further consideration to this issue and come out with proposals for an African Common Position for adoption by the policy organs of he African Union;
July 2003, DECISION ON THE REPORT OF THE INTERIM CHAIRPERSON ON THE AFRICA-WIDE CAPACITY BUILDING IN BIOSAFETY EX/CL/Dec 26 (III)

10. The project “Support of the AU in the matters of biosafety”
Principle Aim:
The African States have ensured safety in use, handling, and transfer as well as research and development of GMOs and products thereof.
Project Aim:
The topic “biosafety” has been incorporated into the political and institutional frameworks of the AU and into its support services for the Member States.

11. Major activities to be performed by the AU
Selection of two experts by the AU ecology and biosafety & environmental law; and an administrator
Establishment of a biosafety unit at the AU, including a biosafety web page and a Technical Advisory Committee
Organization of a preparatory workshop for African delegates before COP-MOP-3 Mar ’06, Curitiba/Brazil

12. Major activities to be performed by the AU
Training of the project staff Jun - Aug ’06
Drafting an African Strategy on Biosafety finalization through an expert workshop to prepare endorsement by the Extra-ordinary Conference of African Ministers on Science & Technology and the AU Heads of State and Government Summit, Aug ’06 - Jan ’07

13. Major activities to be performed by the AU
Revision of the African Model Law on Safety in Biotechnology finalization through an expert workshop to prepare endorsement at the Ministerial and Heads of States and Government level, Jan - Jul ’07
Presentation of the Strategy and Model Law to Member States in five regional workshops Aug ’07 - Mar ’08

14. Major activities to be performed by the AU
Preparation of publications supporting the implementation of the Strategy, for example: - Survey of African GMO detection facilities - Study on GMO-containing bulk commodity imports into Africa
Development of an approach to involve African Parliaments in the project activities Jan - Jul ’07

15. Major activities to be performed by the GTZ
Technical and financial audit to prepare a funding proposal for the support and establishment of a network of GMO detection laboratories in Africa
Training of AU staff in organisational and technical matters
Support of the project by African and German biosafety experts

16. African network of GMO detection laboratories
Is there a need?
Is there political and financial support by national governments and (sub)regional organisations?
Is there a legal and technical framework?
Is there existing capacity and expertise in Afrika?
Are there existing examples of related and successful cooperations?

17. Main issues to be resolved
mandating appropriate national ministries (sub)regional organisations
creation and/or adoption of norms & standards
equipment of customs & laboratories
training of staff
accreditations & certification of laboratories
transport of samples in regional networks

18. German technical co-operation in MSTQ
long-standing co-operation between the BMZ, the German National Metrology Institute (PTB) and partners in developing countries
new policy framework with strategy paper from 2004: Quality Infrastructure, Conformity Assessment - Metrology, Standardization, Testing, Quality Management (MSTQ)

19. MSTQ-projects in Africa
Support to SADC in implemenmting the SQAM-program:
Establishment of a regional SQMT-architecture in the East African Community (EAC):
Encouragement su système de métrology et d’essai des pays d’Afrique de l’Ouest: