During May 28 – June 3, 2013, the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) held the China-SAARC Workshop on Capacity Building for Implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Madam Song Xiaozhi, Deputy Director General of the Department of International Cooperation of MEP, Mr. Zhou Dongji, Deputy Director General of Yunnan Environmental Protection Department (EPD), and Mr. Haider Mohammed, Deputy Director of the Department of Environment of Bangladesh attended the Workshop and delivered opening remarks respectively. Madam Li Pei, Deputy Director General of Foreign Economic Cooperation Office of MEP (FECO) attended the event and presided over the opening ceremony. More than 60 delegates participated in the Workshop, including representatives from MEP, Yunnan EPD, relevant institutions, as well as officials and experts from environment departments of six SAARC countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka). The Workshop was jointly organized by FECO and Yunnan EPD.

Following the success of the “Regional Workshop for Countries of SAARC on Updating National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAP)” which was the inaugural workshop hosted by MEP in March 2012, this Workshop was the second exchange event between China and SAARC countries to build capacities for implementing environmental conventions. Guided by the principle of “benefiting neighboring countries and promoting regional environmental cooperation” set out in MEP’s Outline for International Cooperation on Environmental Protection in the 12th Five-Year Period, the Workshop facilitated sharing of information pertinent to China’s progress in environmental protection policies and ecological civilization construction, updates on biodiversity strategy and action plan (BSAP) development, achievements of 20-year CBD implementation efforts and progress in Action for UN Decade on Biodiversity, implementation of Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, as well as access and benefit sharing (ABS) related policies. The event made positive contributions to deepening China-SAARC environmental cooperation, raising capacity for CBD implementation, promoting regional biodiversity conservation and green development, and consolidating friendship fostered in such cooperation.