▁( O AU ) ▁encourag ing ▁African ▁countries ▁to ▁develop ▁and ▁implement ▁community ▁rights , ▁a ▁common ▁position ▁on ▁Trade - Rel ated ▁As pect s ▁of ▁Intel lect ual ▁Property ▁Rights , ▁and ▁a ▁clear ▁st ance ▁against ▁pat ents ▁on ▁life . ▁T ew ol de ▁also ▁gu ided ▁the ▁draft ing ▁of ▁the ▁O AU ▁model ▁legisl ation ▁for ▁community ▁rights , ▁which ▁is ▁now ▁used ▁as ▁the ▁common ▁basis ▁for ▁all ▁African ▁countries . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁b ios af ety ▁negoti ations ▁in ▁Cart ag ena , ▁Colombia , ▁T ew ol de ▁was ▁the ▁sp ok esp erson ▁for ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁G 7 7 ▁countries , ▁called ▁' the ▁Like ▁Mind ed ▁Group '. ▁These ▁negoti ations ▁ended ▁in ▁dead lock , ▁but ▁reached ▁a ▁successful ▁conclusion ▁in ▁Montreal ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁T ew ol de ' s ▁leadership ▁of ▁the ▁Like ▁Mind ed ▁Group ▁in ▁the ▁negoti ations ▁played ▁a ▁key ▁role ▁in ▁ach ieving ▁an ▁outcome ▁against ▁strong ▁US ▁and ▁EU ▁opposition ▁- ▁that ▁protect s ▁b ios af ety ▁and ▁b iod iversity ▁and ▁respect s ▁traditional ▁and ▁community ▁rights ▁in ▁developing ▁countries . ▁ ▁T ew ol de ▁Ber han ▁is ▁also ▁named ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁w inners ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁top ▁environmental ▁prize , ▁Champions ▁of ▁the ▁Earth . ▁ ▁He ▁is ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁World ▁Future ▁Council . ▁ ▁Awards ▁▁ ▁Right