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How did delegations prepare for the 16MSP?

Information for participants

Informal Preparatory Meeting 

An informal preparatory meeting was held in Geneva by the President on Thursday 21 September from 15:00 to 17:00 at the Palais des Nations, Room IX.

Registration

The 15MSP agreed that the 16MSP would take place the week of 18 to 21 December 2017 in Vienna, Austria.

Official notification of the 16MSP was provided to all States Parties and States not parties by the Convention’s depository (i.e., the UN Secretary General) on 30 January 2017 through a note verbale provided to all Permanent Missions in New York. Official notification was also provided by the depository to relevant organisations.

In accordance with Article 11 of the Convention, States Parties present at the 15MSP are considered “Participants”. Other States may attend as “Observers”. Also according to Article 11 of the Convention and the rules of procedure for Meetings of the States Parties, relevant international organisations or institutions and regional organisations may attend and participate as “Observers”.

Other organisations may request to attend as “Observers”, subject to approval of the Conference. In considering whether to recommend such requests, the Convention’s Coordinating Committee will take into consideration criteria such as whether the proposed observer is a non-profit entity and whether its purpose and activities are consistent with the object and purpose of the Convention.

In addition, according to the rules of procedure, the 16MSP will be held in public, implying that the event is open to the media and that interested individuals may witness the proceedings from the public gallery.

Registration involves the following:

(1) Each delegation must officially notify the Executive Secretary of the 16MSP of the composition of its delegation to the following aplc(at)unog.ch or (fax:+41 22 917 00 34); and,

(2) Each delegate must have a badge to access the Vienna International Centre. The email address of those needing a badge must be included in the note verbale addressed to the Executive Secretary of the 16MSP or sent separately to aplc(at)unog.ch. Once the delegate's email address has been provided, each delegate will reecive further guidance on the way to provide the photo needed for the badge. For any issue and/or assistance regarding the photo upload, delegates are advised to contact the Pass Office team at passoffice(at)unvienna.org.