Notification 2024-022

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am pleased to inform Parties that a global capacity-building workshop on operationalizing ABS frameworks will be held from 30 September to 3 October 2024, in Bonn, Germany. 

The workshop is organized by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, in collaboration with partners including the ABS Capacity Development Initiative, the German Nagoya Protocol HuB, One World Analytics and the Union for Ethical Biotrade. The workshop will be hosted by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, and will be financially supported by the Government of Japan through its Japan Biodiversity Fund, the European Union, the Government of Denmark, the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany and the ABS Capacity Development Initiative.

The workshop will provide an opportunity to share practical experiences regarding the operationalization of ABS frameworks and showcase practical, user-friendly, efficient and reproducible solutions that Parties have developed to address ABS operationalization challenges. In particular, the workshop will focus on issues related to: 

• Developing user-friendly ABS procedures; 
• Managing ABS information, such as permits and checkpoint communiqués; 
• Monitoring the utilization of genetic resources and compliance.

Accordingly, I am pleased to invite Parties to nominate a representative to take part in the workshop. Nominations should be submitted in the form of an official letter signed by the ABS National Focal Point and should provide the contact details and curriculum vitae of the nominee. In addition, an online nomination form, available at https://forms.office.com/e/QHemTaJKRG, must be completed for each nominee.  Participants will be selected among nominees based on their relevant expertise, experience, and active engagement in actions to implement and operationalize the Nagoya Protocol. The selection will also take into account gender balance and geographical representation. The nominations should be sent to secretariat@cbd.int at the earliest convenience but not later than 29 March 2024. 

Participants eligible for funding will be provided with travel, accommodation, meals and a daily subsistence allowance for incidental costs in accordance with UN rules. Information and documents relevant to the workshop will be made available in due course. Please note that this workshop will be conducted in English. I look forward to receiving nominations at the earliest opportunity. 

Please accept, Sir, Madam, the assurances of my highest consideration.

(Signed) David Cooper 

Acting Executive Secretary