Notification 2014-008

Dear Madam/Sir, I have the honour to inform you that the fifth meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Review of Implementation of the Convention (WGRI 5) will be held from 16 to 20 June 2014, followed by the eighteenth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 18) from 23 to 28 June 2014, in Montreal, Canada, at the Headquarters of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The provisional agendas for these meetings, as approved respectively by the Bureau of the Conference of the Parties (COP) and the Bureau of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA), are attached. The pre-session and other relevant documentation for these meetings, as well as the Information Note for Participants, will be made available in due course, at the following respective webpages: http://www.cbd.int/doc/?meeting=WGRI-05 and http://www.cbd.int/doc/?meeting=SBSTTA-18. In accordance with rule 18 of the Rules of Procedure for meetings of the Conference of the Parties, the designation of representatives to attend the WGRI 5 and the SBSTTA 18 meetings should be submitted, through an official letter to be addressed to the CBD Executive Secretary, and sent to the Secretariat as soon as possible, as a scanned e-mail attachment to: secretariat@cbd.int or by fax at +1 514-288-6588, but no later than 30 April 2014. Please note that subject to the availability of contributions to the Special Voluntary Trust Fund (BZ), the Secretariat will be in a position to finance the participation of one representative (for both meetings, i.e. the WGRI 5 and the SBSTTA 18 meetings) from each of the developing countries Parties to the Convention, in particular the least developed countries, small island developing States, other developing countries, and countries with economies in transition. Eligible Parties to the Convention, wishing to solicit such assistance are kindly requested to advise the Secretariat at their earliest convenience, but no later than 7 April 2014, of the name and coordinates of their Government’s officially designated representative to benefit from such financial support. It will not be possible for the Secretariat to respond positively to request for funding received after the deadline. Due to the increased security procedures for travellers and budget constraints, and with a view to enable the participation of a maximum number of countries in the meeting, the Secretariat will be using special airfare tickets for sponsored delegates that impose restrictions with respect to the changing of passenger’s name, travel dates and itinerary. Please note, therefore, that it will not be possible for the Secretariat to accommodate name changes if received after 15 April 2014. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points and SBSTTA Focal Points