Research and Other Publications
Developing Effective Environmental Laws and Policies
Developing Regulations on Access to Genetic Resources in Uganda
Africa’s biological diversity provides opportunities for commercial development that increasingly are being exploited locally, nationally, and internationally. Expanding research and business applications mean that laws and institutions are needed to protect the intellectual property rights of the traditional users and to ensure equitable distribution of the benefits.
Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda are all discussing possible systems for governing access to genetic resources, and there may be opportunities for developing East African norms, particularly for shared biological resources. Uganda is at the vanguard of protecting and managing genetic resources in East Africa, and it has developed draft regulations on access to genetic resources. The African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) and Uganda’s National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) organized a consultative stakeholder workshop in May 2000 on Access to Genetic Resources in Kampala, Uganda. With the Uganda Wildlife Society and the World Resources Institute, ELI developed a background paper that was distributed to participants prior to the workshop. This paper analyzes the draft regulations, examines the strengths and weaknesses of the draft regulations, and identifies legal alternatives and other policy options that may be considered. The research summarizes the key issues relating to access to genetic resources in Uganda, and highlights legal options for addressing these issues.
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