Jakarta (ANTARA News) - ASEAN Foundation Executive Director Dr. Makarim Wibisono spoke at a national workshop on the Nagoya Protocol and its implementation organized by Indonesia`s environmental affairs ministry.

Dr. Makarim Wibisono made a presentation on the role of the society in the management of genetic resources and traditional knowledge, the ASEAN Foundation said in a statement here Friday.

The theme of the workshop was "The Nagoya Protocol and the Efforts of Protection and Benefit Sharing of Genetic Resources and Traditional Knowledge."

The workshop held in Jakarta recently was participated in by representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Forestry, the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, the Ministry of Agriculture, universities, civil society and other stakeholders.

The Nagoya Protocol was signed for Indonesia by the then Environment Minister Prof. Dr. Gusti Muhammad Hatta in New York in May 2011 bringing the total number of signatories to 21 countries.

The other signatories among others were Brazil, India, Rwanda, Ecuador, Japan, Norway and Switzerland.

For the protocol to come into force, at least 50 countries must have ratified it.

The Nagoya Protocol on access to genetic resources and benefit sharing could benefit Indonesia and other developing countries which have rich collections of genetic resources and traditional knowledge.(*)

HAJM/F001

Editor: Jafar M Sidik
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