Notification 2023-072

Dear Madam/Sir, I have the honour to inform you that the twelfth meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Article 8(j) and Related Provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity (WG8J-12) will be held from 12 to 16 November 2023, and the first meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Benefit-sharing from the Use of Digital Sequence Information on Genetic Resources (WGDSI-1) will be held from 14 to 18 November 2023, at the International Conference Center Geneva (CICG) in Geneva, Switzerland. Both meetings will be conducted in person. The provisional agendas for these meetings are available at the respective meeting webpages at: https://www.cbd.int/meetings/WG8J-12 and https://www.cbd.int/meetings/WGDSI-01. The annotated provisional agendas, as well as other pre-session and relevant documentation for these meetings will be made available at the same webpages in due course. In addition, an international dialogue with indigenous peoples and local communities and relevant stakeholders on the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Gender Plan of Action, is planned for 9-10 November 2023. Further information on the organization of this event and other logistical details will be provided in due course. Nominations The designation of representatives to attend the WG8J-12 and WGDSI-1 meetings should be submitted through an official letter of nomination addressed to the CBD Executive Secretary, sent as a scanned e-mail attachment to: secretariat@cbd.int, preferably by 15 October 2023. Information regarding online registration will be provided in due course. Early registration is encouraged. Financial support Please note that subject to the availability of contributions to the Special Voluntary Trust Fund (BZ), the Secretariat will be in a position to finance the participation of one representative per meeting (i.e. WG8J-12 and WGDSI-1) from each of the developing country Parties to the Convention, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, as well as countries with economies in transition. Parties to the Convention eligible to receive financial support that wish to solicit such assistance are kindly requested to advise the Secretariat at their earliest convenience, but no later than 31 August 2023, of the name and coordinates of their Government’s officially designated representatives to benefit from such financial support. It will not be possible for the Secretariat to respond positively to requests for funding received after this deadline. Furthermore, in accordance with the criteria for the operations of the Voluntary Funding Mechanism to Facilitate the Participation of Indigenous and Local Communities in the Work of the Convention on Biological Diversity and subject to the availability of funds, representatives of indigenous peoples and local communities are invited to submit a request for financial assistance for consideration for the November 2023 meetings, at their earliest convenience but no later than 31 August 2023. A list of beneficiaries from the indigenous peoples and local communities will be communicated via notification and selected participants will be contacted directly by the Secretariat regarding the necessary arrangements. With a view to enable the participation of a maximum number of countries in the meetings, kindly note that the Secretariat will be using special airfare tickets for sponsored delegates that impose restrictions with respect to the changing of passenger’s name, travel dates and itinerary. Further information on logistical details, including visa requirements and hotels, will be made available in the “Information Note for Participants”, which is being prepared by the Secretariat and will be made available on the webpages of the meetings as soon as finalized. I look forward to your participation and contribution to these meetings. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Acting Executive Secretary

To: CBD national focal points, ABS focal points, indigenous peoples and local communities, and relevant organizations