Notification 2009-153

Dear Madam/Sir, Attached please find the audited financial statements related to the following Trust Funds for the biennium 2008-2009, which ended 31 December 2008: 1. General Trust Fund for the Convention on Biological Diversity (BY); 2. General Trust Fund for Additional Voluntary Contributions in support of approved activities under the Convention on Biological Diversity (BE); 3. General Trust Fund for Voluntary Contributions to Facilitate the Participation of Parties in the Process of the Convention on Biological Diversity (BZ); 4. General Trust Fund for Voluntary Contributions to Facilitate the Participation of Indigenous and Local Communities in the work of the Convention on Biological Diversity (VB); 5. General Trust Fund for the Core Programme Budget for the Biosafety Protocol (BG); 6. Special Voluntary Trust Fund for the Additional Voluntary Contributions in support of approved activities under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (BH); 7. Special Voluntary Trust Fund for Facilitating Participation of Developing Country Parties in the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (BI); and 8. Trust Fund for the Establishment of the Interim Secretariat of the Biological Diversity Convention (BV). In keeping with COP Decision IX/34 paragraph 3 which, Requests the Executive Secretary, based on information from the Trustee, to advise Parties as soon as possible after the date of closure of the accounts of the trust funds under the Convention for the biennium 2007-2008, of the amount used from the working capital reserve to cover shortfalls in the 2007-2008 budget of the Convention". I hereby advise that the amount used from the reserve to cover shortfalls was US$697,691. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points