Notification 2018-038

Dear Madam/Sir, I am pleased to invite Parties, other Governments and relevant regional organizations and initiatives from countries in the Coral Triangle region to participate in the Sustainable Ocean Initiative (SOI) Sub-Regional Capacity-building Workshop for the Coral Triangle, to be held from 31 July to 3 August 2018 in Jakarta, Indonesia. The workshop is being convened by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in collaboration with the Government of Indonesia and various other partners, including the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security, the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia, the Ramsar Convention Secretariat, the International Coral Reef Initiative, the Commonwealth Scientific, Industrial Research Organisation of Australia, the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia, the UN Environment Coral Reef Unit and other relevant regional and international organizations and initiatives. The organization of this workshop is being financially supported by the Government of Japan (through the Japan Biodiversity Fund) and the Government of Sweden. In 2014, the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the CBD adopted the Priority Actions to Achieve Aichi Biodiversity Target 10 for Coral Reefs and Closely Associated Ecosystems (annex to decision XII/23; also available at: https://www.cbd.int/doc/publications/cbd-aichi-target-10-en.pdf). The Priority Actions focus on a range of sectors and pressures on coral reefs and associated ecosystems (such as mangroves and seagrasses). They aim to support the management of coral reefs and associated ecosystems as socio-ecological systems undergoing change due to the interactive effects of multiple stressors. In decision XII/23, the COP also requested the Secretariat, in collaboration with Parties, other Governments and relevant organizations, to facilitate the implementation of the Priority Actions, including through capacity-building workshops. Pursuant to this request, this workshop will gather experts from countries in the Coral Triangle region, as well as from relevant global and regional organizations, to identify tools and approaches to support cross-sectoral management of various pressures on coral reefs and associated ecosystems, in the context of the Priority Actions, as well as national, regional and global goals and initiatives. It will gather experts and managers from different sectors/areas of work relevant to coral reefs and associated ecosystems to: (i) facilitate dialogue and information-sharing with regards to conservation and sustainable use of these ecosystems; (ii) assess the status of implementation of the Priority Actions and gaps in implementation; (iii) identify common challenges/barriers as well as approaches that have been successful in addressing challenges; (iv) identify tools to support cross-sectoral approaches to managing pressures on coral reefs and associated ecosystems; and (v) identify concrete steps/actions to enhance collaboration across sectors to implement the Priority Actions, in support of the achievement of national, regional and global goals and priorities. The Sustainable Ocean Initiative is a global platform that aims to build partnerships and enhance capacity to achieve the Aichi Biodiversity Targets in marine and coastal areas. Its implementation is coordinated by the CBD Secretariat in collaboration with various SOI partners. SOI was created to respond to the urgent need for training and capacity-building of developing country Parties with regard to marine conservation and management, pursuant to decisions X/29, XI/17, XI/18, XII/22 and XII/23 of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD. Further details about SOI activities can be found in the SOI Action Plan for 2015-2020 (available at: http://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/mar/soiom-2014-02/official/soiom-2014-02-actionplan-en.pdf) and the SOI website (https://www.cbd.int/soi). Submission of nominations from Governments Parties from the region are invited to nominate three experts to participate in this workshop. Specifically, nominations should include: (i) one expert involved in conservation and/or management of coral reefs and associated ecosystems; (ii) one expert involved in management of fisheries in coral reefs and associated ecosystems; and (iii) one expert involved in an additional sector/area of work related to management of a human use and/or pressure on coral reefs and associated ecosystems. Parties are encouraged to liaise, as appropriate, with their respective focal points to the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security, the Ramsar Convention, and other competent organizations in order to identify the most appropriate experts for this workshop. The Secretariat will be in a position to finance the participation of three experts from each Party eligible for funding. Nominations must include: (i) an official letter addressed to the Executive Secretary, signed by the national focal point, indicating the name and full contact details of the nominees; (ii) the attached completed nomination form; and (iii) the curriculum vitae of the nominees, clearly indicating their areas of expertise and experience. Submission of nominations from relevant organizations Relevant regional organizations and initiatives are invited to nominate one expert to participate in this workshop. The head of the organization/initiative should provide the name and contact details of their nominee via an official signed letter addressed to the Executive Secretary. Nominations must include: (i) the attached completed nomination form; and (ii) the curriculum vitae of the nominee, clearly indicating the areas of expertise and experience. All nominations must be received as soon as possible but no later than 25 May 2018 (scanned and attached to an e-mail addressed to secretariat@cbd.int; or faxed to +1 (514) 288-6588). Workshop materials will be forwarded to the selected experts and posted on the CBD website in due course. The workshop will be conducted in English. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points, Marine and Coastal Biodiversity National Focal Points and SBSTTA Focal Points in the Coral Triangle region (Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste), indigenous peoples and local communities, and other relevant global and regional organizations/initiatives