BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:unctad.org BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6ae09d268ebe8 DTSTART:20180607T090000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20180607T060000Z LOCATION:Luang Prabang\, Lao People’s Democratic Republic SUMMARY:Improving coordination on '\;BioTrade and Access and Benefit Sh aring'\; technical assistance for South-East Asia CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:ObjectiveThe workshop is aimed at having a more coordinated and coherent efforts among technical assistance providers and beneficiary cou ntries in the region (Laos\, Myanmar\, Viet Nam) toward developing or impr oving BioTrade and Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) policy\, regulatory an d administrative frameworks in light of the Nagoya Protocol. The workshop will also serve as a platform to produce a Mekong Action Plan on key join t activities and cooperation initiatives with partners and participants.Ba ckgroundBioTrade refers to the collection\, production\, transformation an d commercialization of goods and services derived from native biodiversity (genetic resources\, species and ecosystems) under environmental\, social and economic sustainability criteria. With a growing annual demand of 10- 15% worldwide\, natural ingredients represent a huge business potential - particularly on international high-end markets in which customers are will ing to pay a premium for sustainably produced and fair traded goods.In Sou theast Asia\, BioTrade has already established fertile ground for further development opportunities. For example\, in Viet Nam\, sales of BioTrade p roducts have reached approximately USD 100 million and various value chain s are currently being developed in Laos\, and Myanmar.  Research and deve lopment over "\;native"\; species may provide significant promises for the identification and further development of new naturally based com pounds and products. For this\, value chains need to comply with internati onal\, regional and national frameworks on ABS. Such Frameworks include th e CBD\, the Nagoya Protocol\, the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Access to B iological and Genetic Resources as well as national ABS regulations.While many countries in South East Asia have ratified the Nagoya Protocol\, whic h sets a minimum reference ABS standard\, there are few cases of ABS laws and regulation in place. Many countries in the region are therefore seekin g to establish their own ABS systems in light of their own national biodiv ersity priorities\, including the potential development of BioTrade value chains.This workshop will be organized jointly by UNCTAD\, Swiss State Sec retariat for Economic Affairs\, and Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation\, and it is part of the SECO Funded Project "\;Linking Trade and Biodivers ity"\; implemented by UNCTAD in cooperation with BioTrade partners.< \;p>\;<\;strong>\;Objective<\;/strong>\;<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;T he workshop is aimed at having a more coordinated and coherent efforts amo ng technical assistance providers and beneficiary countries in the region (Laos\, Myanmar\, Viet Nam) toward developing or improving BioTrade and Ac cess and Benefit Sharing (ABS) policy\, regulatory and administrative fram eworks in light of the Nagoya Protocol.&\;#160\;The workshop will also serve as a platform to produce a Mekong Action Plan on key joint activitie s and cooperation initiatives with partners and participants.<\;/p>\;& lt\;p>\;<\;strong>\;Background<\;/strong>\;<\;/p>\;<\;p> \;<\;img class="\;img-responsive"\; alt="\; "\; src=&quo t\;/sites/default/files/inline-images/ditc-ted-07062018-BioTrade-Laos2-mar ket2-550.jpg"\; style="\;vertical-align&\;#58\;auto\;float&\ ;#58\;right\;margin&\;#58\;5px\;\n\nView meeting on unctad.org\nhttps:/ /unctad.org/meeting/improving-coordination-biotrade-and-access-and-benefit -sharing-technical-assistance-south DTSTAMP:20261027T124630Z END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6ae09d268ec36 DTSTART:20180608T090000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20180608T060000Z LOCATION:Luang Prabang\, Lao People’s Democratic Republic SUMMARY:Improving coordination on '\;BioTrade and Access and Benefit Sh aring'\; technical assistance for South-East Asia CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:ObjectiveThe workshop is aimed at having a more coordinated and coherent efforts among technical assistance providers and beneficiary cou ntries in the region (Laos\, Myanmar\, Viet Nam) toward developing or impr oving BioTrade and Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) policy\, regulatory an d administrative frameworks in light of the Nagoya Protocol. The workshop will also serve as a platform to produce a Mekong Action Plan on key join t activities and cooperation initiatives with partners and participants.Ba ckgroundBioTrade refers to the collection\, production\, transformation an d commercialization of goods and services derived from native biodiversity (genetic resources\, species and ecosystems) under environmental\, social and economic sustainability criteria. With a growing annual demand of 10- 15% worldwide\, natural ingredients represent a huge business potential - particularly on international high-end markets in which customers are will ing to pay a premium for sustainably produced and fair traded goods.In Sou theast Asia\, BioTrade has already established fertile ground for further development opportunities. For example\, in Viet Nam\, sales of BioTrade p roducts have reached approximately USD 100 million and various value chain s are currently being developed in Laos\, and Myanmar.  Research and deve lopment over "\;native"\; species may provide significant promises for the identification and further development of new naturally based com pounds and products. For this\, value chains need to comply with internati onal\, regional and national frameworks on ABS. Such Frameworks include th e CBD\, the Nagoya Protocol\, the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Access to B iological and Genetic Resources as well as national ABS regulations.While many countries in South East Asia have ratified the Nagoya Protocol\, whic h sets a minimum reference ABS standard\, there are few cases of ABS laws and regulation in place. Many countries in the region are therefore seekin g to establish their own ABS systems in light of their own national biodiv ersity priorities\, including the potential development of BioTrade value chains.This workshop will be organized jointly by UNCTAD\, Swiss State Sec retariat for Economic Affairs\, and Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation\, and it is part of the SECO Funded Project "\;Linking Trade and Biodivers ity"\; implemented by UNCTAD in cooperation with BioTrade partners.< \;p>\;<\;strong>\;Objective<\;/strong>\;<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;T he workshop is aimed at having a more coordinated and coherent efforts amo ng technical assistance providers and beneficiary countries in the region (Laos\, Myanmar\, Viet Nam) toward developing or improving BioTrade and Ac cess and Benefit Sharing (ABS) policy\, regulatory and administrative fram eworks in light of the Nagoya Protocol.&\;#160\;The workshop will also serve as a platform to produce a Mekong Action Plan on key joint activitie s and cooperation initiatives with partners and participants.<\;/p>\;& lt\;p>\;<\;strong>\;Background<\;/strong>\;<\;/p>\;<\;p> \;<\;img class="\;img-responsive"\; alt="\; "\; src=&quo t\;/sites/default/files/inline-images/ditc-ted-07062018-BioTrade-Laos2-mar ket2-550.jpg"\; style="\;vertical-align&\;#58\;auto\;float&\ ;#58\;right\;margin&\;#58\;5px\;\n\nView meeting on unctad.org\nhttps:/ /unctad.org/meeting/improving-coordination-biotrade-and-access-and-benefit -sharing-technical-assistance-south DTSTAMP:20261027T124630Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR