Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Absalom Shigwedha
Published on 2024-04-13 06:00:00
A senior official in the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism in Namibia believes that access to genetic-related traditional knowledge in the country can bring about numerous benefits that are crucial for rural development and the empowerment of rural communities. Kauna Schroeder, who serves as the principal project coordinator and environmental commissioner adviser, emphasizes that this access can also incentivize the government to focus more on research and development, particularly in the areas of bioprospecting and value addition for product development.
Recently, Schroeder was re-elected as the chairperson of the Compliance Committee of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) during a meeting held in Montreal, Canada. The Nagoya Protocol aims to ensure fair and equitable benefit-sharing arising from the commercial utilization of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
In an interview with The Namibian, Schroeder highlighted the importance of establishing a functional ABS System in Namibia to facilitate local value addition, promote small and medium enterprise development, drive industrial growth, enhance capacity development, facilitate technology transfer, and boost regional and international trade. She emphasized that addressing ABS issues can contribute significantly to poverty alleviation, food security, rural development, and community empowerment with regards to the use of biological and genetic resources associated with traditional knowledge.
Schroeder’s re-election as the committee chairperson signifies Namibia’s commitment to addressing compliance issues related to ABS and promoting the sharing of benefits from genetic resources. The Compliance Committee, which also re-elected Tianbao Qin from China as its vice chairperson, plays a crucial role in examining situations where parties fail to submit national reports under the Nagoya Protocol.
Furthermore, Schroeder disclosed plans by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism to introduce ABS guidelines and an online application for accessing biological or genetic resources and their associated traditional knowledge. The launch event for these initiatives is scheduled for 29th April in Windhoek, with the aim of effectively implementing the ABS regime in Namibia.
The Nagoya Protocol on ABS was adopted in 2010 as a global effort to implement the third objective of the CBD, which focuses on fair and equitable benefit-sharing from the commercial use of genetic resources and traditional knowledge. The CBD provides an international legal framework for conserving biological diversity and promoting its sustainable use, representing one of the key outcomes of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit.
As Namibia’s focal point for CBD-related negotiations, Schroeder’s leadership in the Nagoya Protocol Compliance Committee underscores the country’s commitment to upholding international agreements and promoting responsible utilization of genetic resources. Through initiatives like the ABS guidelines and online application, Namibia aims to enhance transparency, accountability, and equitable sharing of benefits to drive sustainable development and empower local communities.
Read the original article on The Namibian
