Notification 2011-066

Dear Madam/Sir, In decision X/1, paragraph 13, the Conference of the Parties requested the Executive Secretary to provide technical assistance to Parties, subject to the availability of financial resources, with a view to supporting the early ratification and implementation of the Nagoya Protocol. In paragraph 14 of the same decision, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) was invited to provide financial support to Parties to assist with early ratification of the Nagoya Protocol and its implementation. Thanks to the financial support provided by the GEF, a series of awareness-raising and capacity-building activities will be carried out by the Secretariat over the next biennium in order to support the ratification and early entry into force of the Nagoya Protocol. In addition, during COP 10 in Nagoya, the Secretariats of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (IT-PGRFA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to further enhance collaboration in areas of mutual interest within their mandates. The Memorandum foresees, inter alia, jointly undertaking workshops, seminars and other events on access and benefit-sharing as well as in other areas. Against this background, I am pleased to inform you that a capacity-building workshop on access and benefit-sharing will be jointly organized by the Secretariats of the CBD and the IT-PGRFA, from 4-5 June 2011, in Montreal, Canada, back-to-back with the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Nagoya Protocol (ICNP). The aim of this first workshop is to build the capacity of governments to implement their obligations under the Protocol. The workshop will also draw on experiences in the implementation of the IT-PGRFA and discuss ways to ensure that both legal instruments are implemented in a mutually supportive manner. Furthermore, the workshop will provide an opportunity for governments to discuss their experience with the implementation of access and benefit-sharing regionally and inter-regionally. Interpretation in English, French and Spanish will be provided. A draft agenda is attached for your information and available on the Secretariat website at the following address: www.cbd.int/icnp1/workshop. Nomination of participants In light of the above and further to notification 2011-056, dated 14 March 2011, Parties to the Convention as well as representatives from indigenous and local community organizations who have not yet informed the Secretariat of their interest to participate in the workshop are invited to send an official nomination to the Secretariat by 8 April 2011. Officially designated representatives of Parties and indigenous and local communities selected to receive financial support to participate in the first meeting of the ICNP will also be funded to participate in the capacity-building workshop and should therefore indicate their interest in participating in the workshop when registering for the meeting of the ICNP. Please note that the Secretariat will only finance the participation of one representative to both meetings from each of the developing country Parties to the Convention, in particular, the least developed and small-island developing States amongst them, and Parties with economies in transition. Nominations should be submitted through an official letter addressed to the Executive Secretary by fax to +1 514 288 6588, or by email as a scanned attachment to: secretariat@cbd.int. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD Focal Points, ABS Focal Points, ICNP Focal Points and indigenous and local community organizations, cc: Mr. Shakeel Bhatti, Secretary of the ITPGRFA