Article 22 of the Cartagena Protocol requests the Parties to cooperate in capacity building for the purpose of the effective implementation of this Protocol in developing country Parties and in Parties with economies in transition. Cooperation in capacity-building shall, subject to the different situation, capabilities and requirements of each Party, include scientific and technical training in the proper and safe management of biotechnology, and in the use of risk assessment and risk management for biosafety, and the enhancement of technological and institutional capacities in biosafety. The needs of developing country Parties, in particular the least developed and small island developing States among them, for financial resources and access to and transfer of technology and know-how in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Convention, shall be taken fully into account for capacity-building in biosafety.

Norway as a donor country is engaged in a bilateral project with Zambia on "Assistance to build capacity for the implementation of the national biotechnology and biosafety policy and the Cartagena protocol on biosafety".

In addition, the government is contributing to financing the activities of the Norwegian Institute of Gene Ecology (GenØk), in particular the annual "GenØk/UNEP biosafety capacity building courses: Holistic Foundations for Assessment and Regulation of Genetic Engineering and Genetically Modified Organisms".

Below you will find more information concerning Norwegian involvement in capacity building. For information on capacity building projects of other countries, search the BCH Central Portal. The Central Portal also contains a compendium of biosafety training courses, an overview of different countries needs for capacity building and other information relating to capacity building connected to biosafety.