Notification 2021-074

Dear Madam/Sir, I am pleased to circulate herewith the composition of the Informal Co-Chairs’ Advisory Group on Digital Sequence Information on Genetic Resources. The Informal Co-Chairs’ Advisory Group was established by the Co-Chairs of the Open-ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (WG2020-3), Mr. Francis Ogwal (Uganda) and Mr. Basile van Havre (Canada), during the first part of WG2020-3 in follow-up to discussions held in Contact Group 5 on digital sequence information on genetic resources. The Informal Co-Chairs’ Advisory Group is being led by the Co-Leads of the Contact Group, Ms. Lactitia Tshitwamulomoni (South Africa) and Mr. Gaute Voigt-Hanssen (Norway). In accordance with its terms of reference, which were developed by the Co-Chairs in consultation with the Bureau of the Conference of the Parties and the Executive Secretary, and subsequently annexed to the report of the meeting, the Informal Co-Chairs’ Advisory Group will provide advice and feedback on the following elements: (a) an assessment of consequences of possible policy approaches, options or modalities for benefit-sharing arising from the utilization of digital sequence information on genetic resources, based on the report of the first part of WG2020-3, Annex II of document WG2020/3/4, and submissions received following notification 2021-063 (https://www.cbd.int/conferences/post2020/submissions/2021-063); (b) areas of potential convergence and areas of apparent divergence based on the summary prepared by the Co-Leads (https://www.cbd.int/conferences/post2020/wg2020-03/documents); (c) areas of additional work on digital sequence information on genetic resources that may be required in the period between the second part of WG2020-3 and the second part of the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of Parties. The outcomes of the work of the Informal Co-Chairs’ Advisory Group will be made available as an information document to the second part of WG2020-3, scheduled to take place in January 2022 in Geneva, Switzerland. Following an invitation by the Co-Chairs through the Bureau, a total of 25 nominations were received from Parties. In addition, six nominations were received from six geo-cultural regions to represent indigenous peoples and local communities. Further to the terms of reference of the Informal Advisory Group, other governments, and relevant stakeholders and organizations may be invited to participate in meetings, at the invitation and discretion of the Co-Leads. I am pleased to convey herewith the list, as approved by the Bureau, of the 31 representatives that have been invited to form the Informal Advisory Group. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points, ABS National Focal Points, indigenous peoples and local communities, international organizations, relevant stakeholders