Notification 2016-089

Dear Madam/Sir, Reference is made to notification 2016-064, issued on 20 May 2016, inviting Parties, other Governments and relevant global and regional organizations and initiatives in the South Pacific region to nominate participants for the Sustainable Ocean Initiative (SOI) Regional Capacity Development Workshop for the South Pacific, to be held from 31 October to 4 November 2016, in Apia, Samoa. Given the limited number of nominations submitted to the Secretariat by the deadline of 1 July 2016, the deadline for nominations has been extended to 8 August 2016. Nominations should be sent by e-mail to secretariat@cbd.int, or faxed to +1 (514) 288-6588. CBD Parties and other Governments in the region are reminded to nominate two experts to participate in this workshop. Nominations should include: i) an official letter addressed to the Executive Secretary, signed by the CBD national focal point, indicating the name and full contact details of the nominee/s; ii) the attached completed nomination form and iii) the curriculum vitae of the nominee/s, clearly indicating their areas of expertise and experience. A list of CBD national focal points may be found here: https://www.cbd.int/doc/lists/nfp-cbd.pdf. Nominations should include one expert involved in marine biodiversity conservation, such as marine protected areas or other area-based conservation measures, and one expert involved in sustainable fisheries management. The Secretariat is in a position to finance the participation of two experts from each eligible Party. Relevant organizations and initiatives are reminded to nominate one expert to participate in this workshop, through the head of the organization/initiative. Nominations from relevant organizations should include: i) an official letter addressed to the Executive Secretary, signed by the head of the organization/initiative, indicating the name and full contact details of the nominee/s; ii) the attached completed nomination form and iii) the curriculum vitae of the nominee/s, clearly indicating their areas of expertise and experience. A list of CBD national focal points can be found here: https://www.cbd.int/doc/lists/nfp-cbd.pdf. By way of reminder, this workshop seeks to enhance the capacity of countries in the region to conserve and sustainably use marine and coastal biodiversity to support the achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. The workshop will provide a valuable opportunity for dialogue and experience-sharing across different sectors, and aims to: (i) identify and consolidate common priorities among different sectors and stakeholders for conservation, management and sustainable economic growth in marine and coastal areas; (ii) identify common challenges to sustainable management of marine and coastal resources; (iii) identify successful experiences that can be supported and scaled up to overcome these challenges; (iv) outline ways to enhance cross-sectoral coordination, planning and management (including through tools such as marine spatial planning); and (v) produce tangible strategies for developing/enhancing cross-sectoral planning and management in each country. I thank you for your cooperation in this matter and your continued support for the work of the Convention. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points in Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, France, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Niue, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, other Governments, Agence des aires marines protégées, Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner, SPREP, CSIRO, indigenous peoples and local communities; and other relevant global or regional organizations/initiatives