Notification 2012-127

Dear Madam/Sir, I am pleased to inform you that a regional workshop will be held on 12-15 November 2012 in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates (UAE), to strengthen capacities of Parties to address invasive alien species and to achieve Aichi Biodiversity Target 9. The workshop is organized by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in collaboration with the Government of the UAE and the United Nations Environment Programme Regional Office for Western Asia, with the generous financial support of the Government of Japan. The workshop will review the existing capacity to address invasive alien species in the region, and consider the need for updating National Invasive Species Strategies and Action Plans / National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans in line with international regulatory frameworks relevant to invasive alien species. I therefore invite your government to nominate two representatives to attend this workshop with the criteria as follows: 1) A CBD focal point or an expert with experience in national policy on invasive alien species who is in a position to translate the capacity gained into concrete actions in support on national/regional implementation; and 2) A representative from your country to the World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures, the International Plant Protection Convention or a national delegate to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). Kindly provide the name and contact details of your government’s nominees via official signed letter addressed to the Executive Secretary (by fax at +1 514 288-6588 or by email to secretariat@cbd.int) at your earliest convenience but not later than 12 October 2012. Nominations other than for the CBD national focal points should be accompanied by a curriculum vitae clearly indicating the areas of expertise and experience of the nominee. Due to the challenge in processing visas to the UAE for non- Gulf Cooperation Council countries, it is strongly advised to send nominations and passport copies to the Secretariat no later than 10 October 2012, in order to facilitate travel arrangements. I look forward to receiving the nominations and I thank you in advance for your cooperation and 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 for Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Somalia, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen