Notification 2023-099

Dear Madam/Sir, In decision CP-10/11, the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (COP-MOP) recognized the importance of the Network of Laboratories for the Detection and Identification of Living Modified Organisms. The COP-MOP also requested the Executive Secretary to continue the work mandated under decision CP-9/11, such as continuing online discussions of the Network of Laboratories for the Detection and Identification of Living Modified Organisms. Furthermore, the COP-MOP invited Parties and relevant organizations to submit information on the detection and identification of living modified organisms and requested the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice at its twenty-sixth meeting to prepare a recommendation on the need to update Biosafety Technical Series 05: Training Manual on the Detection and Identification of Living Modified Organisms in the Context of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. Accordingly, the Secretariat will convene an online forum of the Network of Laboratories for the Detection and Identification of Living Modified Organisms from 17 to 24 November 2023. The discussions will focus on the new detection techniques, detecting newly developed and unauthorized living modified organisms, regional and national collaborations of laboratories and how to address capacity-building needs. Based on the above, I would like to invite Parties, other Governments and relevant organizations to nominate experts to join and participate in the online forum of the Network of Laboratories for the Detection and Identification of Living Modified Organisms. The nominees must be involved in laboratory-based detection and identification of living modified organisms and have an understanding of techniques used in molecular biology. The official nomination letter must be accompanied by the completed attached nomination form indicating the activities in which the nominee has been involved that are relevant to detection and identification of living modified organisms. Cartagena Protocol national focal points or Heads of organizations, as appropriate, are kindly requested to submit nominations for experts via e-mail to secretariat@cbd.int. Nominations should be submitted no later than 15 November 2023. Kindly note that there is no need to re-nominate experts that have been previously nominated for the online forum of the Network, as nominations from other intersessional periods remain valid unless the Secretariat is advised by the national focal point, or Head of organization, that those experts are no longer endorsed. The list of registered participants is available at https://bch.cbd.int/onlineconferences/portal_art18/lab_participants.shtml. Please accept, Sir, Madam, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Acting Executive Secretary

To: Cartagena Protocol national focal points, CBD national focal points (where CPB focal points have not yet been designated) and relevant organizations, cc: Biosafety Clearing-House national focal points