ABNE Conducts Consultative Workshop on the Revised Togo Biosafety Law

Togo's Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources in collaboration with the NEPAD Agency –the African Biosafety Network of Expertise (ABNE) recently organized a stakeholders' consultative workshop to validate Togo's revised biosafety law. The workshop took place in the Togo capital of Lomé between 28 April-May 2, 2014. Sixty participants including government officials, researchers, lawyers, biosafety regulators, and civil society representatives took part in the workshop. The meeting was chaired by Mrs. Marie Luce Mensah/Quashie, member of the National Biosafety Committee.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Adignon Kotoro, the Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources underlined the importance of such a meeting, which, according to him, was a considerable step towards providing the country with a functioning legal framework for responsible use of biotechnology in Togo. "I urge participants to carefully examine the draft law which, once adopted by the Council of Ministers and approved by the National Assembly, will enable Togo to reap the benefits of modern biotechnology in a responsible manner," said Kotoro.

The revised draft law proposes amendments to its biosafety law signed in January 2009 to ensure a better alignment with the international biosafety regulations and best practices, especially the Nagoya Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress that Togo signed in September 2011. The bill will be tabled at the National Assembly for adoption before the end of the year 2014.

For more information on the revision of the Togolese Biosafety law, contact Prof. Diran Makinde at African Biosafety Network of Expertise at diran.makinde@nepadbiosafety.net.