Notification 2011-161

Dear Madam/Sir, In paragraph 2(a) of decision X/15 on the clearing-house mechanism, the Conference of the Parties (COP) encourages Parties to continue to take the necessary steps to establish, strengthen, and ensure the sustainability of, national clearing-house mechanisms (CHM Goal 2). To contribute to this goal, the Executive Secretary, with the generous support of the Governments of Japan and Belgium, is organizing a Sub-regional capacity-building workshop for South Asia on the Clearing-House Mechanism to be held from 12 to 16 December 2011 in Dehradun, India, in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP). The objective of the workshop is to build capacity and provide guidance on how to establish and sustain effective national clearing-house mechanisms, in line with decision X/15 and in support of the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs). The workshop is also expected to contribute to the establishment of a sub-regional clearing-house mechanism for SACEP member countries and to facilitate cooperation among them. The provisional agenda and other meeting documents will be made available on the CBD website at www.cbd.int/doc/?meeting=CHM-CBW-2011-SA. I am pleased to invite you to nominate two representatives of your government, at your earliest convenience, but not later than 10 October 2011, to participate in this workshop. The Secretariat will be in a position to finance two participants from each SACEP member country. Parties are requested to use the following criteria while submitting their nominations: - The first country representative should be the manager coordinating the implementation of the national CHM, in line with the NBSAP priorities. - The second country representative should be the main technical expert in charge of implementing the national CHM website. - After the workshop, both representatives should be in a position to translate the knowledge and capacity gained into concrete actions for further implementation of their national CHM. It is expected that one of the country representatives will be the CHM National Focal Point. At the workshop, each Party will be kindly requested to present the status of its national CHM as well as its plan to strengthen and sustain it throughout the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity, based on a realistic assessment of its national resources and capacity. For nominees who are not National Focal Points, nominations should include contact details with curriculum vitae clearly indicating the nominee's areas of expertise. Nominations should be submitted via an official signed letter to the Executive Secretary by the deadline (faxed to +1 (514) 288-6588, or scanned and attached to an email sent to secretariat@cbd.int). Please note that this workshop will be held in English. It will take place back-to-back with the Second Regional Workshop for South, East and South East Asia on Updating National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans also organized by the CBD Secretariat for which a separate notification has been issued. I look forward to receiving your nominations and I thank you in advance for your cooperation and for 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 and CHM National Focal Points in South Asia