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ABS Procedure (PRO)
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last updated: 16 Feb 2025
General information
Description of the ABS Procedure
Guidelines on Equitable Sharing of Benefits for Conservation, Sustainable Use and Restoration of Biodiversity in Cameroon
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National / Federal
- Competent National Authority: | ABSCH-CNA-CM-250978-3 This document has been updated. This is not the latest published version. Click here to view the latest version of the record.
Competent National Authority:
Ministry of Environment, Protection of Nature and Sustainable Development, Dr. DINGOM Aurélie Taylor Patience PhD, Animal Physiology/Pharmacology Teacher, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Inspector N°2, ABS National Focal Point, Traditional Knowledge National Focal Point ()
Ministerial Building N°2, 20th May Boulevard P.O. Box 320 Yaounde
Yaounde, Centre
237, Cameroon
Phone: +237222236037, +237699738842, +237675635537,
Fax: +237222236037,
These are the18 key directives given by legal framework in force in Cameroon. So that, each user should be aware by ensure himself that actions carry out is drived for Conservation, Sustainable Use and Restoration of Cameroons' Biodiversity.

 It is:
Directive1. Implementing benefit-sharing principle 
Directive 2. Negotiating benefits 
Directive 3. Identifying the recipients of benefits
Directive 4. Specify the channels for mobilizing monetary benefits and the parties allocated to conservation, sustainable use and biodiversity restoration activities
Directive 5. Ensuring good governance in benefits management 
Directive 6. Setting up a management monitoring mechanism at the community level
Directive 7. Targeting funding options according to the typology of the provider entities 
Directive 8. Ensuring coherence of biodiversity conservation and sustainable use actions with national priorities 
Directive 9. Prioritizing conservation, sustainable use and biodiversity restoration 
Directive 10. Considering various conservation options to be made either at the genetic, species or ecosystem levels 
Directive 11. Applying precautionary principle, environmental and social protections 
Directive 12. Providing for the sustainable management of biological and genetic resources 
Directive 13. Ensuring the participation of indigenous and local communities in biodiversity management and conservation 
Directive 14. Promoting national research and development on genetic resources for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and technology transfer 
Directive 15. Sharing benefits on research and development 
Directive 16. Protecting traditional knowledge
Directive 17. Requesting explicit access to traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources
Directive 18. Activating mechanisms for the protection of traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources
EN
These Guidelines on Equitable Sharing of Benefits for Conservation, Sustainable Use and
Restoration of Biodiversity in Cameroon shall be used to serve in the development of a check-list, taking into consideration the directives formulated in the Guidelines in the following areas:
Governance;
Conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity;
Promotion of the national research system;
Enhancement of traditional knowledge and protection of the rights of indigenous and local communities.

It i s composed by:
Guidelines for benefit sharing (directives 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6)
Guidelines on funding options (directive 7)
Guidelines for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity (directives 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
Guidelines on research and development of genetic resources (directives 14, 15,)
Guidelines on the protection and promotion of traditional knowledge (directives 16, 17, 18)
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Does the applicant need to provide any documents
Yes
The aim of these Guidelines, is to provide practical guidance to facilitate the implementation of the ABS process by stakeholders, including providers, users and relevant administrations.

However, there is a simplify procedure, and an application form (page 4), published in the ABSCH, that gives informations on documents to be provided as well as the study fees. 
EN
- Competent National Authority: | ABSCH-CNA-CM-250978-3 This document has been updated. This is not the latest published version. Click here to view the latest version of the record.
Competent National Authority:
Ministry of Environment, Protection of Nature and Sustainable Development, Dr. DINGOM Aurélie Taylor Patience PhD, Animal Physiology/Pharmacology Teacher, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Inspector N°2, ABS National Focal Point, Traditional Knowledge National Focal Point ()
Ministerial Building N°2, 20th May Boulevard P.O. Box 320 Yaounde
Yaounde, Centre
237, Cameroon
Phone: +237222236037, +237699738842, +237675635537,
Fax: +237222236037,
Are there application fees
Yes
The objective of these Guidelines, based on the legal and regulatory requirements in force, is to contribute effectively to the achievement of policy objectives in the field of conservation, restoration and sustainable use of biodiversity. They provide practical guidance to facilitate the implementation of the ABS process by stakeholders, including providers, users and relevant administrations. More specifically, they aim to ensure that the benefits arising from the development of value-added chains of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge contribute to the financing of activities on biodiversity conservation. It is a document that provides guidelines and options for users on key issues in the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol, including conservation, restoration and sustainable use of biodiversity, research and development, promotion and protection of traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources, and respect for the principles of taking into consideration gender aspects, vulnerable and marginalized populations in benefit sharing.

However, there is an application form published in the ABSCH, that gives informations on the study fees (page 4).
EN
6 months
ABSCH-MSR-CM-267051-1 Legislative, Administrative or Policy Measure DECREE N°2023/07526/PM OF 06 OCTOBER 2023 TO LAY DOWN THE CONDITIONS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF ABS LAW
This decree sets out the terms of application of Law No. 2021/014 of July 9, 2021 regulating access to genetic resources, their derivatives, associated traditional knowledge and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their use. As such, it addresses questions relating to procedures and, in general, to the organization of the national system of access to genetic resources, their derivatives and/or associated traditional knowledge and sharing of and related benefits.
The text also specifies the provisions of the aforementioned ABS law, including key concepts of the Nagoya Protocol such as Prior Informed Consent (CPCC), Mutually Agreed Conditions (CCCA) and Permit APA. It also sets out the administrative procedures to follow to obtain the legal titles prescribed by the APA law.
In this perspective, the text establishes a specific regime for local research. The latter benefits from a simplified procedure with the aim of promoting its development and the valorization of the resulting results, on a national scale. The specific regime also applies to access to genetic resources, their derivatives and/or associated traditional knowledge in emergency situations.
Still in the logic of easier implementation of the ABS law, the ABS declaration and permit regimes, the benefit sharing modalities, the monitoring mechanisms serve to put in place the necessary tools to enable the Competent National Authority to effectively manage activities related to all forms of use of genetic resources, their derivatives and/or associated traditional knowledge. As for the sharing of benefits which is the purpose of the access procedure, it is assisted by tax advantages, monetary and non-monetary advantages. Fiscal benefits accrue to the State while monetary and non-monetary benefits accrue to indigenous populations and local communities.
  • Scope
  • Competent national authority/ies
  • Access
  • Access to genetic resources
  • For commercial use
  • For non-commercial use
  • Access to traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources, including prior informed consent or approval or involvement
  • For commercial use
  • For non-commercial use
  • Benefit-Sharing
  • Mutually agreed terms
  • Monetary benefits
  • Non-monetary benefits
  • Compliance
  • Compliance with domestic legislation or regulatory requirements of the other Party (Article 15 and 16)
  • On access to genetic resources and benefit-sharing
  • On access to traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources and benefit-sharing
  • Non-compliance with domestic legislation or regulatory requirements
  • Issues related to monitoring the utilization of genetic resources (Article 17)
  • Checkpoints
  • Permits or their equivalent constituting an internationally recognized certificate of compliance
  • Compliance with mutually agreed terms (Article 18)
  • Traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources
  • Community protocols
  • Customary laws and procedures
  • Access and Benefit-sharing Clearing-House
  • Codes of conduct, guidelines, and best practices and or/standards
  • Capacity-building
  • Technology transfer, collaboration and cooperation
  • Financial mechanism and resource mobilization
  • Compliance with the Protocol
  • ABS legislative, administrative or policy measures
  • ABS agreements
  • Commercial purpose
  • Non-commercial purposes
  • Agricultural sector
  • Academic research
  • Botanical and horticultural sector
  • Identification and taxonomy
  • Food and beverage
  • Industrial biotechnology,
  • Personal care and cosmetics
  • Pharmaceutical sector
  • All types of genetic resources
  • Plants
  • Animals
  • Microorganism
  • Fungi
  • Wild species
  • Domesticated species and/or cultivated species
  • All areas of access of the genetic resource
  • Agricultural areas
  • Forest
  • Inland waters
  • Dry and sub-humid areas
  • Marine and coastal areas
  • Mountains
  • Protected areas
  • Ex-situ
  • Soil and/or water samples
  • Users of genetic resources
  • Intellectual property rights
  • Relevant international agreements, instruments and organizations
  • Relationship with other instruments
  • Antarctic Treaty System
  • Food and Agriculture Organization
  • Commission of Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
  • International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
  • World Health Organization
  • World Intellectual Property Organization
  • World Trade Organization
  • United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
Additional Information
Author: Dre Dingom Aurélie Taylor, under the direction of Minister Hélé Pierre
Editor: GIZ-CAMEROUN
Date of Publication: 2023-06
Copyright: CAMEROON
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