January 19, 2018 – USA approved the GM rice event Huahui 1 (IR) for food use.
January 11, 2018 – In late 2017, the European Union approved the soybean events DAS44406-6 (stacked HT), FG72 x A5547-127 (stacked HT), DAS68416-4 (stacked HT) and DP305423 x GTS 40-3-2 (HT + PQ), as well as the canola event MON88302 x MS8 x RF3 (HT + PC) for food and feed use.
January 3, 2018 – Malaysia approved the soybean events DAS68416-4 (stacked HT), DAS-444Ø6-6 (stacked HT), and DAS81419 (stacked IR) for food and feed use in late 2017.
December 21, 2017 – Australia and New Zealand granted food approvals to the canola event MS11 (HT + PC) and the Innate potato events F10 (stacked PQ), J3(stacked PQ), W8 (DR + PQ), X17 (DR + PQ), Y9 (DR + PQ) and the new event E56 (stacked PQ).
December 11, 2017 – South Korea approved the maize events MZHG0JG (food and feed use), Bt11 x MIR162 x MON89Ø34 x GA21 (feed only), and MON89034 x TC1507 x NK603 x MIR162 (food only) as well as the soybean event MON87708 x MON89788 x A5547-127 (food only) in December.
You can visit the GM Approval Database for more updates.
Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) has drafted a law governing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in Rwanda which will soon be forwarded to the Rwanda Law Reform Commission for review. The draft bill was prepared along with the National Biosafety Framework, biosafety policy and regulations according to officials. The objective of the legislation is to ensure adequate level of protection in the field of the safe transfer, handling, and use of GMOs resulting from modern biotechnology that may have an adverse effect on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. Read more at: http://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/read/227457/
Namibia has opened a laboratory for testing food for Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO), the first in the southern African country, on 29th January 2018. The Higher Education Minister, Itah Kandjii-Murangi, opened the laboratory, designed by the National Commission on Research, Science and Technology in Windhoek. Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/01/namibia-opens-first-gmo-laboratory/