Governments continued to discuss the primary concerns about the international protocol on the provision and use of the genetic resources of the planet. The Interregional Negotiating Group, the drafting committee of the protocol, already came up with the draft for approval at the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan on 18 - 29 October 2010. Members of the drafting committee worked to reach consensus on a number of key issues:

• definition of the utilization of genetic resources;
• scope of application of the agreement;
• international framework applicable to accessing genetic resources and the sharing of the benefits arising from their utilization;
• provisions for monitoring compliance; and
• benefit-sharing with indigenous peoples whenever their traditional knowledge is used in conjunction with genetic resources.

The Convention on Biological Diversity recognizes the rights of States over their own genetic resources, and thus they have the authority to determine access within their territory. These genetic resources are used by various sectors such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, agriculture, horticulture and biotechnology.

"A robust protocol on access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable-sharing of the benefits from their use is a major tool for the conservation and sustainable use of the biodiversity of our planet," said Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Read the press release at http://www.cbd.int/doc/press/2010/pr-2010-09-21-abs-en.pdf.