Notification 2014-118

Dear Madam/Sir, I am pleased to inform you that the secretariats of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) are collaborating to jointly organize a workshop on synergies for the design, development and implementation of CBD National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and UNCCD National Action Programmes (NAPs). The meeting will be held from 21 to 22 November 2014, in Cairo, Egypt. I hereby invite your Government to nominate two representatives to participate in the workshop. In submitting nominations, please note that, due to funding limitations, the CBD Secretariat can only support the participation of a limited number of participants, and therefore not all nominations can be accommodated. Participants will be chosen taking into consideration the following criteria: (i) one of the nominees should be directly responsible for the development, updating and/or implementation of the CBD National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, and (ii) the other nominee should be involved in the development, updating and/or implementation of UNCCD National Action Programmes. Nominations should be made in the form of an official letter addressed to the Executive Secretary and signed by the focal point or a senior government official. Letters should be sent by e-mail at: secretariat@cbd.int or by fax at: +1 514 288 6588. Nominations must contain the names and full contact details of the nominees (including e-mail address), and be accompanied by their curriculum vitae clearly indicating the relevant areas of expertise. Kindly submit nominations as soon as possible but no later than 10 October 2014. This meeting is being held immediately after the North Africa Regional Workshop of the UN-Water Initiative “Capacity Development to Support National Drought Management Policies”, which will take place from 17 to 20 November 2014, in Cairo, Egypt. Please note that selected participants from the North Africa Regional Workshop of the UN-Water Initiative (The following countries were invited to the North Africa Regional Workshop of the UN-Water Initiative “Capacity Development to Support National Drought Management Policies”: Algeria, Egypt, Eritrea, Iran, Jordan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Sudan, Tunisia and Yemen (ref.: notification SCBD/SAM/SS/ac/va/83888)) will be invited to also participate in the joint CBD and UNCCD workshop from 21 to 22 November 2014. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points