The characteristics of the new mercenarism which was prevalent in Africa included the interrelation of traditional mercenary activity with big business, often involved in the extraction of valuable natural resources (e.g. in Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea).

UNCTAD was invited to examine issues regarding the interrelation of access to genetic resources and disclosure requirements in intellectual property right applications and to prepare a report for submission to the ongoing process of work of the CBD on access and benefit sharing.