This is one in a series of regional and sub-regional capacity-building
workshops to be organized during 2008, in response to decision
VIII/8 (paragraph 6) by which the Conference of the Parties
recommended that regional and/or sub-regional workshops be convened
to discuss national experiences in implementing national biodiversity
strategies and action plans, and the integration of biodiversity
concerns into relevant sectors, at national and regional levels.
The importance of convening these workshops was also highlighted
at the second meeting of the Working Group on Review of Implementation
held in July 2007 in Paris, and in Decision
IX/8 (paragraph 17) adopted by the ninth meeting of the Conference
of the Parties held in May 2008 in Bonn.
The purpose of the workshop is to strengthen national capacity
for the development, implementation, review and updating of national
biodiversity strategies and action plans, and for biodiversity mainstreaming
into relevant sectors, through the exchange of experiences and training
on the use of relevant tools and mechanisms. It will also provide
an opportunity for Parties to identify ways and means to overcome
obstacles associated with the implementation of national biodiversity
strategies and action plans, as well as inform the ongoing review
of implementation of goals 2 and 3 of the Strategic Plan of the
Convention.
In light of the above, I am pleased to invite you to provide the
Secretariat with the names and coordinates of two representatives
of your government who will participate in this workshop. These
nominations should reach the Secretariat by no later than 15
August 2008. This workshop will be conducted in French.
In submitting nominations, Parties are requested to note that
one of the two representatives should be responsible for the development
and/or implementation of the national biodiversity strategy and
action plan, and in a position to prepare and present a report on
progress made in the development, implementation, review and updating
of the national biodiversity strategy and action plan, as well as
integration of biodiversity concerns into relevant sectors (using,
for example, the voluntary guidelines annexed to Decision
VIII/8). Moreover, following the workshop, the representative
should be in a position to translate the capacity gained into concrete
actions in support of national implementation. The second person
should be from a different sectoral ministry, a national institution,
a non-governmental organization or the private sector, and in a
position to share significant experiences on biodiversity mainstreaming
in one or more national development sector(s).
Please be informed that the Central African Forests Commission
(COMIFAC) has generously offered to cover a portion of the costs
of this workshop, particularly those associated with the travel
and DSA of participants.
The nominations of the two representatives should be forwarded
to the Secretariat through an official letter addressed to the attention
of the Executive Secretary, and faxed to +1 (514) 288-6588 or scanned
and attached to an email addressed to: secretariat@cbd.int
|
