The deliberations on Bio-safety in the ongoing International Conference on Biodiversity in Hyderabad will conclude this evening. The sixth edition of the Meeting of Parties to the Cartagena protocol on Bio safety is expected to adopt 18 decisions following in-depth discussion on about 15 point agenda.

Deputy Secretary to the UN Convention on Biodiversity, Charles Gbedemah told reporters that the deliberations at the conference are positively advancing over the Cartagena- Kuala Lumpur supplementary Protocol on Bio-safety.

He said the focus of deliberations has been mainly on facilitating the implementation of the protocol by encouraging member countries to make an informed decision at their national level by the year 2020.

The focus of the negotiations was on the safe transfer of technology relating to the Living Modified Organisms (LMOs), the socio-economic concerns and science-based risk assessment. Issues like unintentional transnational movement of LMOs, liability and redressal mechanism in case of emergencies were also deliberated upon amidst growing concerns.

At least 40 countries have to ratify the Kuala Lumpur Supplementary protocol to bring it into force while only three out of 51 signatory countries ratified it so far.