Capacity-building
1. Urges the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to ensure a rapid
implementation of the GEF initial strategy for assisting countries to prepare
for the ratification, entry into force and implementation of the Protocol, and
to support capacity building for the establishment of the biosafety clearing-house
in a flexible manner, and to provide additional support for the development
of regional centres for training, Clearing-House, risk assessment and risk management
and legal advice;
2. Urges GEF and other donor agencies and governments to support
regional and inter-regional capacity building workshops and preparatory meetings,
in cooperation with relevant international, regional, subregional organizations;
3. Urges the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in
its capacity as an implementing agency of the financial mechanism to expedite
the implementation of the project entitled "Development of National Biosafety
Frameworks" in a flexible manner, having regard to the comments made by the
Intergovernmental Committee for the Cartagena Protocol at its first meeting,
and to support the implementation of national biosafety frameworks;
4. Invites UNEP, in collaboration with the GEF, other donors
and the Secretariat, to convene a workshop in June 2001 on financial support
for the creation and implementation of national biosafety frameworks with a
view to maximizing complementarities and synergies between various initiatives
of bilateral, regional and multilateral funding institutions, including relevant
non-biosafety initiatives;
5. Invites UNEP in collaboration with the Secretariat to convene
an open-ended expert meeting, subject to the availability of financial resources,
back to back with the workshop referred to in the previous paragraph and to
further develop proposals on the implementation of capacity building provisions
of the Protocol for consideration by the Intergovernmental Committee for the
Cartagena Protocol at its second meeting and in this regard welcomes the offer
of Cuba to host the workshop;
6. Invites Parties and Governments as well as non-governmental,
private-sector and scientific organizations to submit information regarding
capacity-building needs, priorities and existing initiatives as well as suggestions
on capacity building for the implementation of the Protocol to the Secretariat
before March 2001. In this regard, the Secretariat shall develop a questionnaire
to facilitate the submission of information;
7. Requests the Executive Secretary to compile information received
from Parties and Governments, United Nations agencies, UNEP and GEF and non-governmental,
private-sector and scientific organizations and to report to the Intergovernmental
Committee for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety at its second meeting;
8. Urges developed countries to provide voluntary contributions
to support capacity building activities specified above;
