Notification 2021-041

Dear Madam/Sir, As a follow-up to notification 2021-019 (https://www.cbd.int/doc/notifications/2021/ntf-2021-019-cop15-en.pdf), and following consideration by the Bureau of COP and further consultations with the Government of Colombia, host of the third meeting of the Open-ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (WG2020-3), I am pleased to confirm that the meeting will be held virtually during the period of 23 August to 3 September 2021. The meeting is being convened virtually as an exceptional measure due to the conditions imposed by the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic and shall not constitute a precedent for the organization of future meetings under the Convention. The provisional agenda and annotations for the WG2020-3 are available on the meeting webpage, accessible at: https://www.cbd.int/meetings/WG2020-03, and further documents will be made available in due course. The Secretariat will be updating the webpage as new information becomes available, including the platform and connection details for the meeting, and other background documentation. Plenary sessions will be limited to 3 hours each day. The modalities of the meeting will be further elaborated, in consultation with the Bureau, to ensure an inclusive and transparent process. Further details, including the overall schedule of the sessions of the meeting, will be provided in due course. As per the practice for meetings of the Convention, the designation of representatives to participate in the WG2020-3 should be addressed to the CBD Executive Secretary through an official letter of nomination, to be sent by e-mail to secretariat@cbd.int or by fax at +1 514-288-6588, as soon as possible but preferably no later than 13 August 2021. Early registration is strongly encouraged. The online registration is envisaged to be operational on 23 July 2021, whereby national focal points and organizations will be provided with a dedicated link to enter the names of delegation members into the system. More details about the registration as well as information on the designation of speakers and limit per delegation will be provided in due course. I also wish to inform Parties and observers that the Government of Colombia, as host of the meeting, is planning to convene a high-level event in the margins of the meeting. Further information on the organization and modalities of this important high-level event will be made available in due time. I look forward to the active participation of all Parties and observers in these important meetings. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points, SBSTTA Focal Points, Cartagena Protocol Focal Points, ABS Focal Points, indigenous peoples and local communities and relevant organizations