Notification 2017-143

Dear Madam/Sir, Further to Notification 2017-064 and in response to decisions CP-VIII/3, CP-VIII/15, CP- VIII/11 and BS-VII/11, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, with the generous financial support from the Government of Japan through the Japan Biodiversity Fund, is organizing a regional workshop for Latin America and the Caribbean on strengthening capacities for the integrated implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, the Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The workshop will take place in Mexico City, Mexico, from 19 to 23 March 2018. The targeted audience of the workshop are the National Focal Points to the Cartagena Protocol and to the Convention on Biological Diversity, as well as officials involved in the implementation/ratification efforts with regard to the Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress. The objectives of the workshop are: (a) To enable Parties to implement the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, the Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress and the Convention on Biological Diversity in an integrated manner; and (b) To raise awareness and understanding about the Supplementary Protocol with a view to encouraging ratification and facilitating implementation. (c) Participants will analyse relevant national policies, laws and institutional frameworks, identifying opportunities, and thereby develop a draft national mainstreaming strategy that sets out steps to achieve integrated implementation of biosafety concerns in a variety of sectoral and cross-sectoral policies, laws and institutional frameworks. The workshop will also provide training on the Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol, including identifying steps towards its ratification as needed. Participants are expected to undertake some preliminary work in preparation for the workshop, involving, among other things, the preparation of an overview of current relevant national legislation, policies and initiatives. E learning materials on mainstreaming biosafety and the Supplementary Protocol will be made available to support these activities. The workshop will benefit from the experience of Parties in the region that took part in the pilot phase of the project on “Integrated Implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the Convention on Biological Diversity” (Further information is available at: http://bch.cbd.int/protocol/issues/mainstreaming_activities.shtml ) and those that have been selected (Notification 2017-064 (https://www.cbd.int/doc/notifications/2017/ntf-2017-064-bs-en.pdf) ) to take part in the current second phase of the project which also includes the Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress. Accordingly, I have the pleasure to invite: (i) the Cartagena Protocol National Focal Points and (ii) the CBD National Focal Points from countries in the Latin America and Caribbean region to express their interest in participating in this workshop, and to also nominate (iii) a policy or legal officer actively involved in national efforts to ratify/accede to or implement the Supplementary Protocol to take part in the workshop as a third participant of each country. If the CBD National Focal Point is not available, a representative involved in the process for the review/update and implementation of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans, such as the NBSAP Coordinators, may be nominated instead. The expressions of interest and nominations should be coordinated through the Cartagena Protocol National Focal Point and submitted in the form of an official letter addressed to the Executive Secretary by fax to +1 (514) 288 6588 or by e-mail to secretariat@cbd.int. Nominations should be accompanied with a duly filled HR Mini Master Request Form in Word format and a photocopy of the valid national passport in PDF format. 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 from the Japan Biodiversity Fund 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 submissions reach the Secretariat as soon as possible but no later than 26 January 2018. The workshop will be conducted in English and, subject to the availability of funding, Spanish interpretation will be available. Thank you for your continued cooperation and support for 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 and CBD National Focal Points from Latin America and the Caribbean