Rwanda hosts workshop on intellectual property and genetic resources

Participants in the workshop on intellectual property rights concerning access to genetic resources and traditional knowledge systems. (courtesy photo)

The Rwanda Development Board in collaboration with the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) is organizing a sub-regional workshop on intellectual property rights concerning access to genetic resources and traditional knowledge systems in ARIPO member states.

The theme of the workshop is “Sub-Regional Workshop on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) arising for the Use of Genetic Resources”. The seminar is aimed at sharing expertise in the field of ‘access and benefit sharing (ABS) arising for the use of genetic resources,’ including the appropriate access to genetic resources and appropriate transfer of relevant technologies, taking into account all rights. Rwanda became signatory of Nagoya Protocol with the objective of protecting the genetic resources and knowledge of the country.

The Nagoya Protocol (Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity) was adopted on October 29, 2010 in Nagoya, Japan.  It also traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources that are covered by the Convention on Biological Diversity and benefits arising from its utilization.

One of the missions of the office of registrar general, which operates unde the Rwanda Development Board, is to protect the genetic resources of the country and the traditional knowledge, while easing access and benefit sharing of genetic resources. The registrar general, Louise Kanyonga, explained that this area of intellectual property is important and it is necessary to regulate access to shared genetic resources and ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of their utilization.

“This workshop presents a great opportunity for us as member states to discuss issues of mutual interest within the region,” Kanyonga said. “No matter how much we do at the national level, whether it be research or development, it is never enough. In a spirit of true cooperation, we in this region of the world must join in an action-oriented effort to solve the sometimes complex issues around the use of genetic resources.”

The key outcomes of the workshop include improved awareness on the ABS mechanism for genetic resources from participating countries, understanding of the linkages of various ABS mechanisms at the national, regional and international level, input into the ARIPO draft policy framework on Access and Benefit and creating a strategy for participating in the forthcoming COP 11 in India, Hyderabad.

Participating countries at the two-day workshop are Burundi, Kenya, Liberia, Sudan, Tanzania Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Posted by Staff Reporter on Aug 17 2012. Filed under Daily News, National. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.