Notification 2013-087

Dear Madam/Sir, The Conference of the Parties, in its decision X/10, requested Parties to submit their fifth national report by 31 March 2014. In the same decision, the Conference of the Parties requested the Executive Secretary to facilitate the provision of support to developing countries for the preparation of the fifth national reports. Through decision X/2, the Conference of the Parties decided that the fourth edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO-4) shall be prepared to provide a mid-term review of progress towards the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, including an analysis of how the implementation of the Convention and its Strategic Plan has contributed to the 2015 targets of the Millennium Development Goals. In recommendation XVI/2, the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice recommended inter alia that GBO-4 should draw on available information provided by Parties and address the possible policy responses that could be effective in contributing to the achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. Further to these decisions, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, with the generous support of the Governments of Japan and Qatar and in collaboration with UNEP Office for West Asia, is organizing a regional workshop for Middle East and North Africa to be held from 14 to 17 December 2013 in Doha, Qatar. The workshop will be held in English and Arabic. The purpose of the workshop is to strengthen capacities of the countries in the region for preparing their fifth national reports so that they can submit the fifth national reports by the deadline set by COP. In particular, the workshop aims to strengthen countries’ capacities in assessing the status and trends of biodiversity, reviewing implementation of national biodiversity strategies and action plans, and more importantly measuring progress towards the 2020 Aichi targets. I am pleased to invite your Government to nominate one representative to participate in this workshop. The nomination should be submitted in the form of an official letter addressed to the CBD Executive Secretary and signed by the National Focal Point or a senior government official, and should contain the nominees’ names and full contact information, including e-mail addresses, as well as their CV. This letter can either be scanned and e-mailed to secretariat@cbd.int or faxed to the Secretariat at + 1 (514) 288-6588, no later than 1 November 2013. In submitting nominations, Parties are requested to note that the participant should be directly involved in the preparation of the fifth national report and will ensure that the process of preparing the fifth national report will be initiated in time to allow for the submission of the fifth national report by the deadline. The Secretariat will provide financial support for one participant from each eligible country. Once the nomination letter is received, necessary arrangements will be made and detailed information concerning the workshop will be communicated. I look forward to receiving your early nomination. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points of the following countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen