PROCLAMATION NO. 120/1998
A PROCLAMATION TO PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INSTITUTE OF BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH Preamble WHEREAS, its varied geographic and climatic conditions has endowed Ethiopia with a wide range of Biodiversity and it is one of the few regions of the world having biological potential; WHEREAS, these biological resources which include plants, animals and microorganisms, have immense contribution to the development of the country’s agriculture, industry and health sectors as well as to various other development endeavors; WHEREAS, climatic change, frequent occurrence of drought, desertification, population growth that does not keep pace with development and implementation of industrial and agricultural technologies which do not take conservation of biodiversity into consideration contribute to the irreversible loss of the biological resources and this situation has become an increasing concern; WHEREAS, exploring, collecting conserving and utilizing the biodiversity of the country is one of the priority areas which are necessary for sustainable development activities; WHEREAS, in line with protecting its sovereign rights over its biodiversity at international level and the potential contributions of this resource to the welfare of the Ethiopian people and the people of the world as a whole, Ethiopia has agreed to respect various international conventions in conserving and properly utilizing its biological resources; WHEREAS, it has become necessary to establish an institute which is responsible for undertaking, directing and coordinating biodiversity conservation, research and proper utilization endeavors at national level; NOW, THEREFORE, in accordance with Article 55(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, it is hereby proclaimed as follows: 1. Short Title This Proclamation may be cited as the “Institute of Biodiversity Conservation and Research Establishment Proclamation No. 120/1998″. 2. Definition In this Proclamation unless the context requires otherwise: 1. “Biodiversity” means the variability among living organisms, including plants, animals and microorganisms, and the ecological complexes of which they are part and this includes diversity within species(genes), between species and ecosystems; 2. “Ecosystem” means a natural system in which living and non-living things are found interacting with each other in a dynamic process; 3. “Gene” means a chemical composition found in all living things, that transmits all inherited characteristics; 4. “In situ conservation” means conserving plant, animal and microbial genetic resources in their natural habitats; 5. “Ex situ conservation” means conserving plant, animal and microbial genetic resources out side their natural habitats; 6. “person” means any natural or juridical person. 3. Establishment 1. The Institute of Biodiversity Conservation and Research (hereinafter the “Institute”) is hereby established as an autonomous body of the Federal government having its own juridical personality. 2. The Institute shall be accountable to the Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organization. 4. Head Office The Institute shall have its head office in Addis Ababa and may have branch offices elsewhere as necessary. 5. Objective The objective of the Institute shall be to cause and ensure the appropriate conservation. research, development and sustainable utilization of the country’s biodiversity. 6. Powers and Duties The Institute shall have the powers and duties to: 1. initiate policy and legislative proposals on conservation, research and utilization of biodiversity and, upon approval, enforce as well as ensure their implementation; 2. explore, and survey the diversity and distribution of the country’s plant, animal and microbial genetic resources; collect samples for ex-situ conservation and facilitate utilization of these genetic resources for research and development; 3. conserve the country’s biological resources using ex-situ and in situ conservation methods; 4. device a strategy to harmonize biodiversity conservation and research programs with federal and regional agricultural, industrial and health development strategies and plans; 5. in line with developing and further utilizing the country’s biodiversity, popularize and introduce local landraces in different parts of the country; identify and study agro-ecologies where man-made and natural calamities are causing genetic erosion and from such assessment take measures by restoring the lost materials inthe locality from the ex situ conserved germplasm; 6. enrich the country’s biodiversity through introduction of germplasm from international sources and repatriating germplasm of Ethiopian origin from elsewhere in the world; 7. implement international conventions, agreements and obligations on biodiverstiy, to which Ethiopia is a party, and to take part in domestic and international conference and seminars with respect to biodiversity; 8. maintain and develop international relations with bilateral and multi-lateral bodies having the potential of providing aid and technical assistance for the support of biodiversity conservation and development; 9. work in cooperation with the concerned federal and regional bodies with respect to protection, research, conservation and utilization of biodiversity resources; 10. develop a national zoological museum and national herbarium for animal and plant specimens to provide researchers and other utilizers with the necessary reference materials; Click HERE to read full text
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AuthorAbrham Yohannes Archives
February 2012
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