Notification 2013-058

Dear Madam/Sir, In its decision X/2, the Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) urged Parties and governments to revise and update their National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAP) by COP12 in 2014 at the latest. As of June 2013, over 130 Parties eligible for assistance from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) have initiated the process of accessing and using GEF Enabling Activity (EA) funds, and other funds, to facilitate this process, in addition to developing their 5th National Reports and strengthening their Clearing House Mechanisms (CHMs). Through its decision XI/2, the Conference of the Parties at its eleventh meeting, requested the Executive Secretary to continue to promote and facilitate, in partnership with relevant organizations, activities to strengthen implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and progress towards the Aichi Biodiversity Targets at the national, sub-regional and regional levels. One such mechanism, launched at COP11, is the NBSAP Forum, a partnership between the CBD Secretariat, UNEP, UNDP, Governments, NGOs and others, working to support NBSAP revision and implementation. I am pleased to inform you that, as part of the activities of the NBSAP Forum, the CBD Secretariat is convening a global workshop to review progress and build capacity for the NBSAP revision process, primarily targeting the national GEF-EA Project Coordinators. This is being done with the generous support of the Japan Biodiversity Fund and the European Union, in collaboration with the GEF and its Implementing Agencies, UNEP and UNDP. The workshop will be held from 11 to 15 November 2013 in Nairobi, Kenya. The workshop will comprise a number of parallel modules on themes focused on aspects of NBSAP planning and development that have been identified as the most in need of technical support. These include: biodiversity information management (including area-based spatial planning), strategic target setting, mainstreaming, and resource mobilization. Each theme will be developed and delivered by aselect team of resource persons and adapted as much as possible to suit different regional/linguistic groups of countries. The NBSAP Forum partners would welcome to the workshop additional support and engagement from a wider group of biodiversity planning partners in the development and delivery of the thematic areas, as well as in contributing to possible side-events and a display area. Interested Parties and organizations are invited to contact the CBD Secretariat, UNDP and UNEP, through the following contacts respectively: Mr. David Duthie, CBD Secretariat <david.duthie@cbd.int>, Ms. Jamison Ervin, UNDP ervin@undp.org>, or Ms. Anna Chenery, UNEP-WCMC . Invitation letters have been sent by the GEF Implementing Agencies to the GEF-EA Project Coordinators during the week commencing 1 July 2013. Parties that have not yet submitted a proposal for GEF funding and those that have applied through Direct Access or through other GEF Agencies (e.g. FAO), are invited to submit their nominations to the CBD Secretariat at secretariat@cbd.int. Available funding for the workshop is limited to one participant per GEF-eligible country. Parties that are not eligible for GEF funding are invited to participate at their own expense. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points, relevant organizations