Notification 2005-036

Dear Madam/Sir, I refer to paragraph 4(a) of decision VII/16 of the seventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties, which requested the Executive Secretary to continue work on phase one of the composite report on the status and trends regarding the knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities in order to produce a revised version of it, taking into account the following elements, inter alia: "(a) the organization of regional workshops" Pursuant to this decision, I am pleased to inform you that the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, in cooperation with the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues is organizing a regional meeting for the African region, which will be held in New York, United States of America, at the United Methodist Office for the United Nations, 777 UN Plaza (Corner of 1st Avenue and East 44th Streets) on the weekend of 21-22 May 2005. The meeting will provide the opportunity to contribute to the preparation and substantive content of the report on the status and trends of traditional knowledge and of the factors that threaten such knowledge at local and national levels in the African region. To maximize the use of scarce resources and to capitalize on the presence of many indigenous and local communities representatives present at the Permanent Forum, the regional meeting will be held on the middle weekend of the Fourth Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, which will take place at United Nations Headquarters from 16-27 May 2005. Thanks to a generous contribution from the Government of The Netherlands, the Secretariat will be in a position to support a number of participants from the African region in the regional workshop, particularly representatives from indigenous and local communities. Interested Parties and Governments are kindly invited to submit, no later than 22 April 2005, the names of indigenous and local community representatives who could participate in the Workshop. The Secretariat will select participants among the nominations received on the basis of expertise, equitable geographic representation and gender balance.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points