Notification 2013-086

Dear Madam/Sir, I am pleased to inform you that the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity is organizing a workshop on Mainstreaming Biosafety into National Measures for the Central and Eastern European region, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, to be held in Batumi, Georgia on 16 – 20 December 2013. The workshop is intended to contribute to enhancing the implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety through the identification of strategies and actions necessary to mainstream biosafety into national measures. It aims at stimulating the efforts and strengthening the capacities of Parties in the Central and Eastern European Region, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, to effectively implement the Protocol. Participants will review the status of the implementation of the Protocol in the region, identify the measures that need to be taken or strengthened at national and/or regional level to facilitate implementation. The specific objectives of the workshop are to: (a) Take stock of the status of implementation of the Protocol in the Central and Eastern European region, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, and share experiences and lessons learned in the development, implementation and mainstreaming of national measures; (b) Identify mechanisms to improve Parties’ efforts in taking necessary legal and administrative measures to implement obligations under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety; (c) Promote awareness of the objective and core requirements of the Nagoya – Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress and review the challenges and opportunities with regard to its ratification and implementation. Accordingly, I kindly invite Parties from the Central and Eastern European region, as well as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, to nominate one representative, involved in the development and implementation of national biosafety measures, to participate in the workshop. The Secretariat will cover the cost of participation of one official nominee from each Party. This includes an economy class ticket to travel to and from Batumi, Georgia, and daily subsistence allowance (DSA) for the duration of the workshop. In order to enable the Secretariat to finalize arrangements for the workshop in a timely manner, nominations must be submitted through an official letter addressed to the Executive Secretary by fax to +1 514 288 6588, or by email at secretariat@cbd.int. Nominations should be received as soon as possible but no later than 31 October 2013. The working language of the workshop will be English. Further details on the workshop will be made available on the Secretariat’s website (www.cbd.int) in due course. I would like to thank you for your kind cooperation and continued support of the work of the Protocol. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety National Focal Points for Central and Eastern European Countries and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan