Notification 2023-068

Dear Madam/Sir, At its fifteenth meeting, the Conference of the Parties (COP) adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), as well as other decisions that will support its implementation. The COP also noted relevant decisions adopted by the Conference of the Parties serving as the meetings of the Parties to the Cartagena and Nagoya Protocols. In decision 15/6, the COP adopted an enhanced multidimensional approach to planning, monitoring, reporting and review, with national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAPs) as the main vehicle for implementation of the Framework. The COP requested Parties to revise and update their NBSAPs, aligned with the GBF and its goals and targets, and to submit them by the sixteenth meeting of the COP. The COP requested the Executive Secretary to support the operationalization of the enhanced multidimensional approach to planning, monitoring, reporting and review, including by collaborating with relevant partners to provide necessary capacity-building and other support, and by supporting the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI) in the further development and piloting of a modus operandi of an open-ended forum for voluntary country-by-country review (decision 15/6). The COP also requested the Executive Secretary to support and advise Parties on ways to integrate capacity-building and development components into their NBSAPs (decision 15/8). To support the implementation of these decisions, I am pleased to advise that, with the generous financial support of the Government of Japan, through its Japan Biodiversity Fund, and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Secretariat will be convening a series of regional and sub-regional meetings. The first of these, convened in collaboration with the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, is a sub regional Dialogue on NBSAPs for ASEAN member States and Timor Leste, which will be held from 14 to 17 August 2023 in Manila, Philippines. The Dialogue will be held in conjunction with the Consultation Meeting on the ASEAN Regional Strategy to contribute to the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework that will be held from 17 to 18 August 2023. The sub-regional Dialogue aims at facilitating the sharing of experiences and mutual learning related to the revising/updating of NBSAPs, including setting national targets, in alignment with the GBF. The Dialogue will aim to identify challenges and opportunities in improving implementation, including on issues related to capacity-building, resource mobilization and the integration of the Protocols into NBSAPs. The Dialogue will also result in a regional collation of lessons learned, challenges and opportunities, which can serve as an input in the further piloting of an open-ended forum for voluntary country review under the SBI, that was requested by the COP in decision 15/6. I therefore invite each Party from the ASEAN member States and Timor Leste to nominate up to two representatives to attend the NBSAP dialogue. It is advised that one nominee is the national focal point for the Convention or a government official who is responsible for leading the work on revising and updating the NBSAP, and another who is directly involved in supporting the NBSAP process. Parties should give consideration to the full range of national stakeholders, including the focal points of the Cartagena and Nagoya Protocols, involved in the NBSAP process in submitting their nominations. Nomination letters should be signed by the national focal point of the Convention or the Head of the competent authority. Nominations should be submitted through an official letter, accompanied by CVs of the nominees, describing relevant expertise and experience, including full contact details, and sent to secretariat@cbd.int as soon as possible and no later than 7 July 2023. Participants eligible for funding will be provided with air travel, accommodation, meals and daily subsistence allowance for incidental costs according to UN rules. Information and documents relevant to the NBSAP Dialogue will be made available in due course. The Dialogue will be conducted in English. To contribute to the Dialogue, the Secretariat may also invite a limited number of representatives of United Nations agencies, intergovernmental organizations and organizations that represent indigenous peoples and local communities, women and youth or other stakeholders, that are relevant to the sub-region. I look forward to receiving nominations from Parties at the earliest opportunity. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Acting Executive Secretary

To: National focal points for CBD and its Protocols of ASEAN member States (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam) and Timor Leste