Since 2019 the ABS Capacity Development Initiative is supporting the intersessional policy- and science-based dialogue on digital sequence information on genetic resources (DSI) with a view to:

• Broaden the understanding of the topic amongst the many actors
• Explore options for ensuring benefit-sharing from DSI applications while ensuring open access to DSI in databanks
• Facilitate exchange among actors, i.e. scientists, databank managers, and representatives of national governments, the private sector and IPLCs on convergence and divergence of views regarding the potential options

The Governments of Norway and South Africa under the Norwegian-South African partnership on biodiversity are hosting this series of DSI capacity development events. All activities have been closely coordinated with representatives of the two governments and the Secretariat of the CBD. This side event is going to inform about the outcomes of a series of technical and scientific webinars, publications and the 2nd Global Dialogue on DSI convened between December 2020 and February 2022. The webinars covered following topics:

• Role of IPLCs and associated traditional knowledge
• Capacity development needs for the use of DSI
• Contribution of DSI in the development of commercial applications
• Options for tracking and tracing the use of DSI
• Open and conditioned access to DSI
• Benefit-sharing options