The rapid rollout of biosafety frameworks worldwide created momentum but also exposed gaps that the 2005 evaluation set out to examine.

The 2005 Biosafety Evaluation assessed the relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency of GEF support to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. Methods included field visits to 11 countries, reviews of 38 completed National Biosafety Frameworks (NBFs), and interviews.

The evaluation finds that GEF support has been broadly consistent with the Protocol, contributing to rapid ratification and initial implementation through NBF development in over 130 countries and capacity building for the Biosafety Clearing-House.

At the same time, NBF projects underestimated national complexities and were under-resourced, resulting in uneven stakeholder engagement, limited specialist training, and only introductory progress on risk management. The umbrella approach provided economies of scale but was more effective in countries with prior biosafety capacity than in weaker contexts.

The evaluation recommends tailoring support more closely to country needs, investing in sustained specialist training, strengthening stakeholder participation, and fostering greater donor coordination to ensure durable biosafety capacity.