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