United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) / Global Environmental Facility (GEF) / Ministry of Environment (MOE)

1 February 2004

18 Months

6 months

Subcontractor: Initiative for Biodiversity Studies in Arab Region (IBSAR) / American University of Beirut (AUB)

Dr. Salma N. Talhouk, IBSAR Director

Dr. Elsa J. Sattout, Project Coordinator

Development of National Biosafety Framework for Lebanon including administrative systems and regulatory measures.

The overall objective is to prepare countries for the implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety provisions and to assist the Ministry of Environment in the following activities:

1-       Perform national surveys and assessment on GMOs and GM products, capacity for research and development, existing legislations and administrative systems pertaining directly or indirectly to GMOs and Gm products;

2-       Assess the current technological capacity to manage Biosafety issues;

3-       Strengthen national capacity to develop National Biosafety Frameworks (NBFs);

4-       Build capacity on risk assessment and risk management in all regions in Lebanon;

5-       Raise public awareness on issues related to GMOs, GM products, regional and global policies, the release of LMOs into the environment to ensure public participation in decision-making process;

6-       Ensure stakeholders participation in the development of the draft NBF;

7-       Produce awareness material, project Newsletter “NBFP@Lebanon”, and build-up a project list-server to be used as tools for information dissemination and exchange on GMO, the Cartagena Protocol and worldwide policies;

8-       Support regional and sub-regional collaboration, including harmonization of the implementation of national regulations.