Notification 2015-102

Dear Madam/Sir, The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has the pleasure to invite Parties from the region of the Pacific and Indian Ocean to participate in a capacity-building workshop for small island developing States (SIDS) to support implementation of invasive alien species to be held from 7 to 11 December 2015, in Suva, Fiji. With the generous financial assistance from the Government of Japan, through the Japan Biodiversity Fund, this workshop is convened to respond to relevant decisions of the Conference of the Parties (COP), including decision X/2 on Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, decision XII/17 (paragraph 9 (a-b)) on Invasive Alien Species and decision XI/15 (paragraph 8) on Island Biodiversity. The aim of the workshop is to develop project proposals with the view to enhance capacity in SIDS for achieving Aichi Biodiversity Target 9 through strategic project development by: (i) Taking stock of the current state of IAS, pests and animal diseases in the countries; (ii) Training on the processes to manage IAS, pests or wildlife diseases significantly and to advance their programs into their national biodiversity strategy and action plans and regional frameworks; (iii) Development of ready-to-submit project proposals and implementation plans and assistance in co-financing with other donors; (iv) Development of national and regional invasive species targets; and (v) Agreeing on the implementation plan of the proposed projects and time bound relevant action plans. This workshop will be organized in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Global Marine and Polar Programme of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and will be supported by other relevant organizations and donors. The official language of the workshop will be English and meeting documents will be posted on the Convention on Biological Diversity’s website at: http://www.cbd.int/doc/?meeting=IASWS-2015-01 in due course. The Secretariat would welcome the nomination of up to three relevant experts per country from eligible Parties, as soon as possible but no later than 30 September 2015. The nomination should be in the form of an official letter addressed to the Executive Secretary and signed by the National Focal Point, sent by fax to +1 (514) 288 6588 or by e-mail to secretariat@cbd.int, and should be accompanied by the nomination form (attached to this notification), as well as a curriculum vitae clearly indicating the areas of expertise. Due to the limited availability of funds for the workshop, only selected participants from eligible Parties who meet the relevant selection criteria will receive financial assistance to cover the cost of travel to Fiji and a daily subsistence allowance for the duration of the meeting. In nominating their representatives, the Parties to the Convention are requested to use the following criteria: (a) Nominees must be capable to report on the current status of their country’s NBSAPs as well as achieving the area-based Aichi Biodiversity Target 9 prior to attending the workshop; (b) Nominees must be able to provide an assessment of existing capacity to implement the proposed projects prior to attending the workshop; © Nominees must be able to liaise with the partner organizations at the national and international levels prior to attending the workshop to facilitate support for follow up actions; (d) One nomination must be for an expert in the area of invasive alien species with the ability to develop projects and implement the proposed projects on the ground level to achieve Target 9 at national or regional levels (technical competence); € One nomination must be for an expert in a position to endorse/submit national project proposals to various financial mechanisms to implement the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011 2020 and achieve Aichi Biodiversity Target 9 (political competence); (f) One nomination must include an expert from a phyto-sanitary authority (national plant protection organization) in a position to prepare/submit national project proposals to various financial mechanisms to facilitate implementation of the World Trade Organisation Agreement on Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary measures that supports achieving Aichi Biodiversity Target 9. In the weeks leading up to the workshop, the selected participants will be provided with pre-work questions and asked to submit information on the status of invasive alien species activities in their countries. In view of priorities of the core programmes of the sixth replenishment of the Global Environmental Facility (GEF-6), we suggest that participation and nominations be made in coordination with the GEF Operational Focal Point for the country. It is noted that a separate training workshop, which will include modules on the role of border control officials in the prevention and control/eradication of IAS, will be held in parallel to this workshop. Joint sessions are scheduled for the last segment of the workshop to facilitate the exchange of views with the border control officials. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points of Comoros, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu