Saturday, 28 October 2017 - 10:00 to 13:00 

Kigali Convention Center, Kigali, Rwanda

The technological change induced by synthetic biology enables the manufacturing, manipulation and use of genomic information in digitized forms. The International Treaty addresses access and benefit sharing for physical material. The International Treaty Secretariat has commissioned a first scoping study to a multi-disciplinary team of independent researchers, with backgrounds in science and technology, law and social sciences. The scoping study is intended to represent an initial step towards a better understanding of how new technological trajectories might affect the International Treaty. A draft of the study is available at this link.

The methodology, findings and analysis of the scoping study will be presented at this special event that precedes the Seventh Session of the Governing Body. The event aims to inform the International Treaty community about current and emerging technologies as well as practices related to the exchange and use of genomic information, which may be relevant for the key principles and structural dimensions of the International Treaty and its Multilateral System in particular.  The programme of the event, which includes invited speakers and a panel discussion, is designed to elicit the views of researchers from relevant disciplines as well as of representatives of organizations and countries, as to areas that may deserve additional investigation. 

List of presentations