News and Analysis • Volume • Number • 6th June 2001

UN Development Commission Focuses On Biotech Capacity Building

Discuss this articleShare your views with other visitors, and read what they have to say

The UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) met for its fifth session from 28 May to 1 June. Discussions focused in particular on capacity building for biotechnology — the CSTD’s main substantive theme for its inter-sessional period 1999-2001.

The CSTD recognised that biotechnology had significant potential to support national efforts towards food security, health, environmental sustainability and increased competitiveness, but also acknowledged the possible negative impacts on the environment and human health, as well as socio-economic and ethical concerns. In order to maximise the benefits of biotechnology while at the same time managing and minimising risks and uncertainties, the CSTD suggested that national governments should develop strategies, policies and action plans to develop and manage the technologies.

In accordance with the conclusions presented in the General Secretary’s report on “National Capacity-building in Biotechnology”, the Commission stressed the need for enhanced access to information and knowledge in order to facilitate acquisition, development and diffusion of biotechnology, and the development of legal and policy frameworks. In addition, the report recommended that institutional structures and linkages should be encouraged, including a closer relationship between public sector research and the private sector. Furthermore, the CSTD recognised the difficulties of establishing a global regulatory framework for biotechnology due to the differing levels of technological capacity and development, and the wide variation in socio- economic and cultural concerns between countries.

The General Secretary’s report acknowledged the still unresolved relationship between a strong intellectual property rights (IPR) regime and technology transfer, but also pointed out that — since the foundation of the WTO — this debate has largely been superseded by the imperative to conform to the provisions of the WTO Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of IPRs (TRIPs). However, issues related to IPRs in general and the TRIPs Agreement in particular were hardly raised during the CSTD meeting, only featuring briefly in discussion on traditional knowledge, but without further discussion. According to one participant, the CSTD might not be the appropriate forum for this debate due to a lack of expertise in this area and the large number of other international fora better equipped to deal with these issues.

The CSTD — established in 1992 as a functional commission of the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) — functions as a forum for improving the understanding of science and technology issues, and for the formulation of recommendations and guidelines on science and technology matters within the UN system on all science and technology related matters. ECOSOC is the principal organ, under the authority of the UN General Assembly, mandated to promote: (a) higher standards of living, full employment, and conditions of economic and social progress and development; (b) solutions of international economic, social, health, and related problems; and international cultural and educational cooperation; and (c) universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion.