Partnering role

Background to the Belgian partnering role Different types of parenting possible How to join the partnership

Background to the Belgian partnering role One of the concrete recommendations of the International Expert Meeting in Bonn, 25-29 June 1997 on "Building the Clearing-House" concerned the "Parenting" or "Partnering Role" of Parties. The Belgian National Focal Point supports actively the implementation of this recommendation which aims at facilitating the participation of yet non-webconnected CHM-National Focal Points (NFP) to the Clearing-House Mechanism. In Paragraph 26 (i) of the report of the Bonn-Meeting the core recommendation reads: "Establish CHM Partnering for non-webconnected NFPs by those NFPs who have access to the Internet and additional space on their server for this kind of bilateral collaboration. This also would help to create CHM-identity among the Parties." This means that one Party 'parents', for a limited time-period only, some general information for a non-webconnected CHM-NFP, either as text and/or images. This parenting should normally occur till the 'parented' country has got its own access to the Internet, by e.g. applying for funding through the GEF Enabling Activities to implement the National CHM. The kind and amount of information and its presentation will be matter of discussion between the two partners. The Belgian National Focal Point (B NFP) is hosting, since 1998, the Clearing-House Mechanism of the Democratic Republic of Congo on the request of their NFP. Based on this experience, an offer was made to other interested countries to join this partnership. Other countries have followed and the B NFP is now hosting the Clearing-Houses of 14 African countries. Mirror-sites have been established on the server of the System-wide Genetic Resources Programme (SGRP) of the CGIAR. Chad asked in 1999 whether the B CHM could train a person to become National Focal Point for their CHM. As other countries were also interested in training, Belgium broadened its partnership role to organise webmaster training courses for national CHMs. Nowadays, a four to five-weeks training course is organised twice a year for webmasters of national CHMs. The ultimate goal of the partnership is that the national Clearing-House will be maintained by the developing country's own structures. Different types of partnering possible Hosting of national Clearing-House Mechanism Development and hosting of national Clearing-House Mechanism Training of national focal point CHM in web publishing and hosting of site Mirror site and technical advice Technical and Scientific cooperation. Training of webmaster CHM and Biosafety Clearing-House How to join into partnership with Belgium It is possible for developing countries, and in special cases for national NGO's, to join the partnership for the Clearing-House Mechanism. A written request from/through the National Focal Point for the CBD of the developing country should be directed, as a first step, to the Belgian National Focal Point. Pending the type of partnership, the partnership can be started fairly quickly afterwards. You can now print our partnering folder, that is available online, for distribution in your country. The partnering folder (French and English version) is produced in PDF format.

 

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