Kenya unveils online system for permitting, monitoring biological researches

Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-22 21:28:49|Editor: xuxin
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SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- Kenya has unveiled an online system for granting access permits to biological researchers while tracking their researches at the same time, said Kenyan Ambassador to Egypt Joff Otieno.

The integrated online permitting and monitoring system links all government institutions in one platform to ensure researchers to seek access permits and monitor compliance of their researches, Otieno said Wednesday evening while addressing the UN Biodiversity Conference being held in Egypt's Red Sea resort city of Sham El-Sheikh.

"This is the first initiative to demonstrate practical ways for the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol under a digitized Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) permitting system," said Otieno, also head of the Kenyan delegation to the conference.

Otieno added that the ABS all-in-one window online permitting system will contribute to enhancing efficiency, monitoring and transparency, and offer clarity, certainty and compliance regarding biological researches.

He explained that Kenya had in the past a disjointed ABS permitting system that was a long and complicated process in which each institution had its own individual process to grant access permits for biological researches.

"During that time, an applicant needed to apply independently to each institution which was long and time consuming," he said, noting that the process required the applicant to deal with each government institution separately which made it hard to monitor.

Otieno said that the new initiative will attract investment in the country's biodiversity that will in turn lead to improved livelihood.

"It is going to offer practical solutions and facilitate business between users and providers of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge," he noted.

The UN Biodiversity Conference 2018 is held from Nov. 13 to 29 with the participation of representatives from about 196 states, under the slogan of "investing in biodiversity for people and planet."

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