Notification 2011-184

Dear Madam/Sir, In its various decisions, the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol (COP-MOP) has underscored the urgent need to assist developing country Parties, in particular the least developed and the small island developing States among them, to build their capacity for the effective implementation of the Protocol. In this regard the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, with the financial support of the Government of Japan, is organising the Pacific Subregional Workshop on Capacity-building for the Effective Implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, which will take place from 28 to 30 November 2011 at the Novotel hotel in Nadi, Fiji. The objectives of the workshop are to: (a) Promote awareness of the recent developments under the Protocol, including decisions of the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol, and of the major issues and processes underpinning the implementation of the Protocol; (b) Review the status of implementation of the Protocol in the Pacific subregion and share experiences, best practices and lessons learned in the development and implementation of national biosafety frameworks; (c) Identify national and sub-regional capacity-building priority needs and discuss ways to address those needs, including the possibility of developing a Pacific subregional capacity-building programme on implementation of national biosafety frameworks. The documents for the workshop, including the provisional and annotated agenda and the information note for participants will be made available in due course on the Secretariat’s website at: (http://www.cbd.int/doc/?meeting=BSRWCB-PAC-01). The workshop will be conducted in English only. I have the pleasure to invite you, or a representative from your Government, to attend the workshop. It would be appreciated if you could confirm your availability to participate in the workshop as soon as possible but no later than 24 October 2011. Subject to the availability of funds, the Secretariat will cover the cost of your participation. This will include an economy class ticket to the workshop and daily subsistance allowances (DSA) for the duration of the workshop. I would like to thank you for your continued support to the work of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and look forward to your participation in the workshop. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration

Executive Secretary

To: Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety National Focal Points of the Pacific Region, Relevant organizations