Notification 2019-069

Dear Madam/Sir, In decision CP-9/11 (https://www.cbd.int/doc/decisions/cp-mop-09/cp-mop-09-dec-11-en.pdf), the Executive Secretary was requested to continue to facilitate online discussions of the Network of Laboratories for the Detection and Identification of Living Modified Organisms (http://bch.cbd.int/onlineconferences/portal_detection/lab_network.shtml). Furthermore, in decision 14/19, the Conference of Parties to the Convention of Biological Diversity requested online discussions of the Network of Laboratories for the Detection and Identification of Living Modified Organisms to share experiences on the detection, identification and monitoring of the organisms, components and products of synthetic biology. Accordingly, online discussions of the Network of Laboratories will be held from 28 October to 8 November 2019 through the Biosafety Clearing-House. The discussions will focus on new detection and identification techniques, current capacities to detect and identify living modified organisms and sharing of experiences regarding the detection, identification and monitoring of the organisms, components and products of synthetic biology. Based on the above, I would like to invite Parties, other Governments and relevant organizations to nominate experts to participate in the online discussions of the Network of Laboratories for the Detection and Identification of Living Modified Organisms. The nominees must be involved in laboratory-based detection and identification of living modified organisms and have an understanding of techniques used in molecular biology. The official nomination letter must be accompanied by the completed attached nomination form indicating the activities in which the nominee has been involved that are relevant to detection and identification of living modified organisms. Cartagena Protocol National Focal Points or Heads of organizations, as appropriate, are kindly requested to submit nominations for experts via e-mail to secretariat@cbd.int. Nominations should be submitted no later than 4 October 2019. Please note that there is no need to re-nominate experts that have been previously nominated for online discussions of the Network, as nominations from other intersessional periods remain valid unless the Secretariat is advised by the National Focal Point, or Head of organization, that those experts are no longer endorsed. The list of registered participants is available at https://bch.cbd.int/onlineconferences/portal_art18/lab_participants.shtml. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: Cartagena Protocol National Focal Points, CBD National Focal Points (where CPB focal points have not yet been designated) and Relevant Organizations, cc: Biosafety Clearing-House National Focal Points