Notification 2021-064

Dear Madam/Sir, Reference is made to notification 2020-058 (https://www.cbd.int/doc/notifications/2021/ntf-2021-058-cop15-en.pdf) with regard to the convening of the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, and the fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing (the Meetings), which will be held concurrently, with the first part on 11 15 October 2021 (virtually) and the second part to reconvene in a face-to-face meeting in Kunming, China from 25 April to 8 May 2022. We thank those Parties that have already sent their nomination letters and credentials for the Meetings. As indicated in the notification, for the first part of the Meetings, in order to expedite the pre-registration of participants and in case of any delay in obtaining and submitting credentials by representatives of Parties, Governments could submit the designation of their representatives to attend the Meetings through an official letter of nomination addressed to the Executive Secretary, providing the names and contact details of their delegation, as well as the title of the meeting or meetings they wish to attend. The letter should be submitted by e-mail to: secretariat@cbd.int or by fax at +1 514-288-6588, as soon as possible and preferably by 1 October 2021. Representatives of Parties are also reminded to submit credentials in accordance with rule 18 of the rules of procedure. Credentials must be submitted to the Secretariat no later than 24 hours after the opening of the Meetings, i.e. 11 October 2021, to confirm that the delegates have been duly appointed, authorized and empowered to represent their country at the Meetings. Credentials must be signed by the Head of State or Government or by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, except in the case of regional economic integration organizations, in which case it should be signed by the competent authority of that organization. All valid credentials received by the Secretariat for the first part of the Meetings next month will be maintained and used for the purpose of the second part of the Meetings, unless withdrawn or a change of nominees is made by the Parties concerned. Sample formats of appropriate credentials are available here (http://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/cop/cop-15/cop-credentials-template-en.docx) or on the Meetings webpage. Parties are urged to expedite the submission of the credentials of their representatives by sending, as soon as possible and prior to the opening of the Meetings, scanned copies by e-mail. The original of the same should be sent by courier/post to the Secretariat office in Montreal. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points, Cartagena Protocol Focal Points and ABS Focal Points