The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

ICCP 1 Recommendation I/3

Capacity-building (Roster of experts)

1.         Invites Parties and Governments to provide comments on the draft nomination form prepared by the Secretariat no later than 31 March 2001;

2.         Invites Parties and Governments to submit their nominations of experts to the Secretariat as soon as possible.  The nomination should be in accordance with the format to be provided by the Secretariat;

3.         Requests the Executive Secretary to report to national focal points the experience gained during the development of the roster of experts for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, by 28February2001;

4.         Invites Parties and Governments to submit their views/suggestions based on the experience gained pursuant to the nomination process and the information provided by the Executive Secretary under paragraph 3,, to the Secretariat before April 2001, on the further development of the roster of experts and on matters to be considered by the Executive Secretary under paragraphs 5 and 6;

5.         Requests the Executive Secretary to develop, on the basis of the above, draft rules of procedure or guidelines on how the roster of experts will be used by the Parties, including addressing issues relating to selection of experts, covering the costs of the expert time and services, and establishment of duties to be undertaken by the experts, for consideration at the second meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee;

6.         Requests the Executive Secretary:

(a) To maintain the roster of experts and to make it available in the Biosafety Clearing-House website;

(b) To provide assistance in identifying experts upon request by Governments/Parties, and if possible, include experts from the region of the enquiring Government/Party;

(c)  To develop proposals on how financial resources can be made available to enable developing country Parties and Parties with economies in transition to make full use of the roster of experts, in collaboration with the financial mechanism of the Convention;

(d) To analyse and keep record of the categories of expertise most often requested, in order to identify and prioritize the needs for capacity building;

(e) To strive to ensure an equitable geographical balance in the roster of experts;

7.         Requests the Executive Secretary to report on the status of progress on the development of the roster of experts for consideration by the Intergovernmental Committee for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety at its second meeting.  This report shall cover the matters in paragraphs 5 and 6, and include a synthesis of experience, views and suggestions from Parties and Governments;