Notification 2016-088

Dear Madam/Sir, In its decisions BS-V/9 and BS-VI/8, as well as in the Strategic Plan for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety for the period 2011-2020, the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety addressed the need to develop capacities of border officials in relation to handling, transport, packaging, identification, sampling and detection of living modified organisms (LMOs). In light of these requests, and with the financial support from the Government of Japan through the Japan Biodiversity Fund, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity is organizing a workshop on developing capacity for national border controls of LMOs in Small Island Developing States in the Caribbean. The workshop is being jointly organized with the Global Environment Facility of the United Nations Environment Programme, under the Regional Project for Implementing Biosafety Frameworks in the Caribbean Sub-Region. The objectives of the workshop are to: (i) Assist customs and border control officials in the implementation of the Cartagena Protocol’s provisions with regard to handling, transport, packaging and identification of LMOs, as well as sampling and detection of LMOs in the context of illegal and unintentional transboundary movements; and (ii) Share experiences and assess national needs and gaps for the effective implementation of the relevant outcomes under the Strategic Plan for the Cartagena Protocol. The primary target group is frontline customs/border control officials from national customs administrations. Nominated participants are expected to have experience at customs control points, including experience related to overseeing imports of plants and animals or plants and animal specimen, as well as bulk shipments of agricultural commodities, such as grains and seeds. The nominee should be involved in the custom processes for handling and inspecting incoming international shipments as part of the daily duties. Subject to availability of funds, it may be possible to also support the participation of a representative of the Competent National Authority with experience in and responsibility for formulating or enforcing regulations or standards for the identification and detection of regulated goods and substances in general and living modified organisms in particular. The participants are further expected, after the workshop, to remain in their current positions so as to make use of their acquired knowledge and skills. They will also be expected to train and share the knowledge and experience gained with their colleagues. Accordingly, I am pleased to invite Parties to nominate the following experts to take part in the workshop: (i) One or two customs or border control officials involved in sampling, detection and border control of LMOs; and (ii) One representative of a relevant Competent National Authority. The nomination should be in the form of an official letter addressed to the Executive Secretary and signed by the Cartagena Protocol National Focal Point, sent by fax to +1 (514) 288 6588 or by e-mail to secretariat@cbd.int. A completed nomination form (attached to this notification) for each nominee should accompany the letter. Incomplete forms will not be considered. Due to the limited availability of funds for the workshop, only selected participants from eligible Parties who meet the relevant selection criteria will receive financial assistance to cover the cost of travel and a daily subsistence allowance for the duration of the workshop. In order to enable us to finalize arrangements for the workshop in a timely manner, it would be appreciated if nominations reach the Secretariat as soon as possible but no later than 31 August 2016. Relevant organizations are also welcome to nominate participants with practical experience in the subject matter of the workshop, by filling in the attached nomination form. Funding is not available to support participants representing organizations. The working language of the workshop is English only. Thank you for your continued cooperation and support towards the work of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: Cartagena Protocol National Focal Points of Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and relevant organizations.