AUDA-NEPAD, hosted an online meeting in in collaboration with the African Union Biosafety Regulators’ Forum (AU-BRF) and South Africa (as the African Chair) to prepare for upcoming virtual sessions of the 24th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 24) and the third meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI 3(. More than 40 regulators and policy makers who are members of the AU Biosafety Regulators Forum, members of national delegations to the meetings of the Conference of Parties, representatives of the Bureau, designated Cartagena Protocol focal points, members of the Ad-Hoc Technical Expert Group (AHTEG) on risk assessment and synthetic biology participated in this meeting which was moderated by the Chairperson of the AU-BRF. 

In her opening remarks, Ms Ntakadzeni Tshidada, representing South Africa as the African Chair, welcomed participants and thanked AUDA-NEPAD for facilitating the organization of this meeting. She commended African countries for the new developments in biosafety as well as Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) and added that “there is a need for capacity building support for other African countries that have no biosafety framework.”

From left to right: Dr Rufus Ebegba, Ms Ntakadzeni Tshidada and Dr Jeremy Ouedraogo during the meeting.

Dr Jeremy Ouedraogo, Head of AUDA-NEPAD West Africa Regional Office also welcomed participants on behalf of AUDA-NEPAD CEO and said “successful negotiations at the meetings of the Conference of Parties require a good preparation to address key points of interest to the continent”.

Dr Rufus Ebegba, Chair of AU-BRF, highlighted that “with the advent of COVID-19, there will be a need for more technological advancements and the negotiations for COP-MOP will look at emergency issues raised by the pandemic. Parties will need to be more pro-active and Africa will have to unite as one continent and have a common position to present at the next COP-MOP to advance Africa’s interests”.

During the meeting, presentations were made to bring all participants to a common understanding of the key issues. Ms Ntakadzeni Tshidada provided a debrief on the overall post-2020 process and related SBSTTA-24 agenda item 3. Mr Eric Okoree, CEO of the National Biosafety Authority of Ghana and member of the Bureau of the CBD conference of parties, also updated participants on discussions ongoing at the COP Bureau. Finally, Mr Samuel Timpo, AUDA-NEPAD Principal Programme Officer presented draft elements for decisions on SBSTTA 24 agenda item 5 (Risk assessment and risk management of LMOs).  

Member states present reiterated the importance of highlighting biosafety as a regional priority during the 8th Special Session of the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN). A request was made to AUDA-NEPAD to continue supporting member states in attending and participating in these negotiations. Member states also recalled paragraph 9(d) of decision 9/7 and requested that the CBD Secretariat be reminded of the their obligation in facilitating the participation of an adequate number of biosafety experts, including those with expertise on the Nagoya – Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress, in the development of the relevant elements of the post-2020 GBF, including in the relevant consultation workshop(s).

The meeting concluded with plans for additional online meetings at both continental and the Regional Economic Community levels to discuss and obtain consensus on other agenda items that would be the subject of discussions at upcoming SBSTTA24 and SBI 3 virtual sessions.