The National Coordination Centre on Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit-sharing (hereinafter referred to as “ABS NCC”) was established in 2014 in accordance with the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus of October 1, 2014 No.933 at the Institute of Genetics and Cytology of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus following the accession of the Republic of Belarus to the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity. ABS NCC ensures the Protocol’s implementation in our country.

Ms Elena Makeyeva, PhD (biology), Associate Professor, is the Head of the Centre and the National Focal Point for the Nagoya Protocvol in the Republic of Belarus.

Provisions on the ABS NCC and the Checkpoint for monitoring the utilization of genetic resources were approved by the Resolution of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus of October 27, 2014 No. 70 and the core objectives were set by the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus of October 1, 2014 No. 933.

ABS NCC undertakes proactive efforts to inform all stakeholders (research institutions, holders of genetic resources, state and private organizations dealing with the export and processing of biological resources) about the provisions of the Nagoya Protocol. In cooperation with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, ABS NCC is involved in developing of a national legal framework on access to genetic resources and sharing of benefits arising from their utilization.

As the Checkpoint, ABS NCC gathers and analyzes information related to the utilization of genetic resources the Republic of Belarus obtains from other countries.