ENTRY INTO FORCE OF CARTAGENA PROTOCOL ON BIOSAFETY ‘LANDMARK FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT’, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL

ENTRY INTO FORCE OF CARTAGENA PROTOCOL ON BIOSAFETY ‘LANDMARK

FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT’, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL

Following is Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s statement on the 11 September entry into force of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety:

The entry into force of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety is a landmark for sustainable development, and another milestone in the global effort to reconcile environmental conservation and development.

The Protocol, adopted by States Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, establishes a framework that will facilitate environmentally sound application and management of the products of modern biotechnology.  It will enable us to derive maximum benefits from biotechnology while, at the same time, protecting biodiversity and human health from potential risks posed by living modified organisms.  And it promotes information-sharing and international cooperation to help developing countries to develop or strengthen their human resources and institutional capacities in biosafety.

Biotechnology can contribute significantly to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals.  However, it must be developed judiciously and used with adequate and transparent safety measures.  The Protocol’s entry into force is a welcome step in the right direction.  I call on other States to ratify it and I urge the entire international community to work together to fully implement its provisions.

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