Notification 2011-029

Dear Madam/Sir, At its third meeting, which was held in Curitiba, Brazil in March 2006, the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (COP-MOP) adopted, in decision BS-III/3, an updated Action Plan for Building Capacities for the Effective Implementation of the Protocol. In paragraph 5 of the decision, the Parties agreed to conduct a comprehensive review of the Action Plan every five years based on an independent evaluation of the capacity-building initiatives carried out to implement the Action Plan. At its last meeting, held in October 2010 in Nagoya, Japan, the COP-MOP adopted, in decision BS-V/3, terms of reference for the next comprehensive review of the Action Plan. Section III of the decision and the terms of reference outline a number of actions to be undertaken as part of the preparatory process leading to the comprehensive review of the Action Plan by the COP-MOP at its sixth meeting in October 2012. In this regard, I would like to draw your attention to the specific requests by COP-MOP for submission of information and/or views by Parties, other Governments and relevant organizations to facilitate the comprehensive review of the Action Plan and the proposed timelines for submission in the table below. In order to enable the Secretariat to prepare the background documents for the review process in a timely manner it would be appreciated if the information requested could be submitted as soon as possible, but no later than the proposed dates. I would like to take this opportunity once again to thank you for your continued support to the work of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. Accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB) National Focal Points, CBD National Focal Points (where CPB focal points have not yet been designated)