Notification 2009-145

Dear Madam/Sir, I am pleased to inform you that an informal expert consultation on the revision and updating of the Strategic Plan of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), co-hosted by the Governments of Brazil and the United Kingdom, will be held from 18 to 20 January 2010 in London, the United Kingdom. As you are aware, the Conference of the Parties to the Convention, at its tenth meeting in Nagoya, Japan, in October 2010, is due to adopt a revised and updated Strategic Plan for the CBD, including post-2010 biodiversity target(s), on the basis of a recommendation by the third meeting of the ad hoc open-ended Working Group on the Review of Implementation of the Convention (WGRI-3) and inputs from the fourteenth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA-14) both to be held in Nairobi in May 2010. As set out in decision IX/9, Parties and observers are invited to submit views on the process and are also encouraged to facilitate stakeholder dialogue. This workshop will facilitate further consultations among Parties, additional to the views already submitted, and thereby assist the Secretariat in the preparation of a draft updated and revised Strategic Plan for the consideration of SBSTTA-14 and WGRI-3. Accordingly, I would like to invite you to nominate a senior officer to participate in this workshop. The nominee should be the CBD or SBSTTA focal point, or other senior officer responsible for coordinating the implementation of the Convention in your country, and should be familiar with the Convention’s Strategic Plan. The nominee should be comfortable working in English, which will be the language of the workshop. Nominations should be made as soon as possible and no later than 25 November 2009. The hosts wish to facilitate the participation of developing countries and therefore the UK government is making funding available for developing countries, with priority given to least developed countries and small island developing states. This will cover round-trip economy-class air tickets, hotel accommodation, meals, and daily subsistence allowances to cover incidentals. The intention of this workshop is to facilitate the elaboration by the Conference of the Parties of the new Strategic Plan of the Convention, including the development of post-2010 biodiversity target(s) – a critical agenda item for COP 10. I look forward to receiving your nomination soon. We thank you very much for your support and cooperation. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points