WG ABS 7

WG ABS 7 - Information for Participants

2. Venue

3. Pre-Registration

3.1 Contracting Parties

Pre-registration of representatives from Contracting Parties is subject to the receipt by the Secretariat of an official nomination letter. The letter should be sent to the attention of the Executive Secretary at the address below, as soon as possible, but no later than 26 March 2009.

The letter should be accompanied by a personal information form for each nominated delegate. The form is attached below as annex A and may also be retrieved from the Secretariat’s website: http://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/abs/abswg-07/other/abswg-07-info-part-a-en.pdf This will facilitate the delivery of conference badges upon arrival on site, and the preparation of the list of participants. Participants who do not wish to have their coordinates appear on the list of participants should inform the registration desk upon their arrival at the venue.

Mr. Ahmed Djoghlaf
Executive Secretary
Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity
413 St. Jacques Street, Suite 800
Montreal, Quebec
H2Y 1N9 Canada
Fax: + 1-514-288-6588
E mail: secretariat@cbd.int

3.2 Observers

3.2.1 States not Party to the Convention
The pre-registration of states not Party to the Convention is subject to the same procedure as outlined in paragraph 3.1 above.

3.2.2 The United Nations and its Specialized Agencies
The pre-registration of representatives of the UN and its specialized agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency is subject to the same procedure as outlined in paragraph 3.1 above.

3.2.3 Governmental and Non-Governmental Bodies or Agencies Qualified in the Fields of Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use

Rule 7.1 of the rules of procedure applies to bodies or agencies qualified in the fields of biodiversity conservation and sustainable use wishing to be represented as observers in the meeting. These observers may, upon invitation of the President of the meeting, participate without the right to vote in the proceedings of any meeting in matters of direct concern to the body or agency they represent unless at least one third of the Parties present at the meeting object (rule 7.2). Pursuant to COP decision IX/29 (Annex) if a body or agency was not represented at the Ninth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (Bonn, 2008) the organization’s statutes/rules or terms of reference, as well as any other relevant information about the organization, must also be included with the request to be represented as an observer at the meeting.

The pre-registration of these representatives is subject to the receipt by the Secretariat of an official letter. The letter should be sent to the attention of the Executive Secretary at the address indicated in item 3.1 above.

The letter must be on the organization’s letterhead and signed by the organization’s Chief Executive or President.

All organizations wishing to be represented at the meeting must include with their official letter a personal information form for each representative. The personal information form must be received as soon as possible, but no later than 26 March 2009. The form is attached below as annex A and can also be retrieved from the Secretariat’s website: http://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/abs/abswg-07/other/abswg-07-info-part-a-en.pdf. The information provided will facilitate the delivery of conference badges upon arrival on site, and preparation of the list of participants. Participants who do not wish to have their coordinates appear on the list of participants should inform the registration desk upon their arrival at the venue.

13. Other