MOZAMBIQUE RESPONSE: ACCESS TO GENETIC RESOURCES

UNCLAS MAPUTO 000098 SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/S - TREGER AND OES/ETC - VILLEGAS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR EAID SENV TBIO MZ SUBJECT: MOZAMBIQUE RESPONSE: ACCESS TO GENETIC RESOURCES AND BENEFIT SHARING REF: 04 STATE 269625 ¶1. Econ/Poloff contacted Calisto Bias, Director of Plant Health, National Institute for Agricultural Research (INIA), regarding Mozambique's action on procedures for granting research, collection, and export permits for access to genetic resources, as requested by reftel. The following is based on a written response received from the Mozambican government, keyed to questions posed in reftel. ¶2. Mozambique adheres to the 1997 FAO Commission on Genetic Resources and has actively participated in negotiations on the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA). Mozambique has not yet signed the ITPGRFA, but, according to INIA, recent developments have made Mozambican government more likely to do so. (Note -- no further elaboration regarding these developments was provided. End note.) ¶3. Issue A - Legislation and Regulation on Research and Collection of Biological Resources: There are no legally binding instruments designed specifically to regulate the research and collection of biological resources in Mozambique. Research proposals related to biological resources are authorized by institutional research secretariats. The criteria for approval are set out in SIPDIS technical guidelines developed by the relevant institutions. On an interim basis, permission for the collection of biological resources is granted by the National Plant Genetic Resources Committee (NPGRC). This group is a multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral committee with a national mandate from INIA. An important requirement the NPGRC uses to grant permission to conduct research on biological or genetic resources is having an assurance that the benefits arising from the use of biological resources will be shared with the government of Mozambique. This is done by a signed bilateral agreement in letter form. The administrative system for such an application is not yet fully developed. ¶4. Issue B - Movement of Specimens: Permission to obtain a permit to export and import non-CITES biological specimens is given by the NPGRC on a case-by-case basis. The regulatory regime and administrative system for this procedure are still being developed. The movement of biological specimens is subject to phyto- or zoo-sanitary requirements determined by the importing country. ¶5. Issue C: - Relevant Laws and Procedures for Negotiating Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT): A regulatory regime, based on international standards, is still being developed in Mozambique for this procedure. ¶6. Issue D - Status of MAT and Prior Informed Consent (PIC): The government of Mozambique is still at an infant stage of development for both MAT and PIC. The coordinating effort for the development of MAT and PIC regulations and issues is being done by the NPGRC. According to INIA, the level of awareness on MAT and PIC issues among important stakeholders is still not adequate. A regulatory regime and institutional arrangement still must be developed. MAT and PIC issues are not adequately addressed in Mozambique. LALIME