GLOBAL BIOTECHNOLOGY FORUM OPENS IN CHILE

GLOBAL BIOTECHNOLOGY FORUM OPENS IN CHILE

CONCEPCIÓN (CHILE), 2 March (UNID0) -- The first Global Biotechnology Forum opened today with more than 1200 participants drawn from governments, the scientific community, industry, development agencies, media and the general public, from both the developing world and industrialized nations. Among them, prominent scientists and experts.

The four-day meeting, organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Chilean Government will look at issues relating to biodiversity, biosafety and the implications of biotechnology in international trade.  Other topics to be discussed are technology transfer, capacity-building needs and strengthening the collaboration between the private and public sectors.

In his opening speech, Carlos Magariños, Director-General of UNIDO stated that this first Global Forum has been organized to reach a better understanding on how to mobilize knowledge, skills and technology for developing countries in order to help them increase productivity by participating in the opportunities afforded by biotechnology developments.  He added that the Forum conclusions will enable UNIDO to refocus its biotechnology activities, target objectives consistent with its corporate strategy and assist member countries in meeting some of the Millennium Development Goals.

Chile's President, Ricardo Lagos, pointed out that we are entering a new age of access to knowledge and that the era of industrial growth has ended.  He said that biotechnology is opening new opportunities for growth.

The aim of the conference is to initiate and develop strategies meant to narrow the biotechnological gap between developed and developing countries, which would permit the latter to benefit more from the utilization of their natural resources and enable them to achieve economic and social progress. It is also an occasion for a debate on the impacts of biotechnology on the environment and on the human health, as well as an opportunity to reach a consensus on issues such as harmonization of regulatory standards and equitable access to technology.  The forum will also represent an important assessment of the status of biotechnology in developing countries.

The UNIDO, as a specialized United Nations agency for promoting sustainable industrial development and Task Manager for Chapter 16 of Agenda 21, plays a key role in promoting biotechnology.  The organization has extensive expertise in technology transfer and in the promotion of international initiatives.  In 1983 it established the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology.  Since 1994, UNIDO manages the Biosafety Information Network and Advisory Service, BINAS (http://binas.unido.org/binas), a major recognized resource in biosafety.

For more information, please visit http://binas.unido.org/global_forum/ or www.gbf2004.cl and/or contact:  Cristina Stricker, UNIDO Information Officer, e-mail:  c.stricker@unido.org, tel.:  during forum: +56-41-748546.

* *** *