Regional Workshop on Joint implementation of the Waigani, Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions

Since 2006, Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions have supported the enhancement of synergies and linkages among the three multilateral environmental agreements in specific areas where common issues arise. In this regard, the Conferences of the Parties (COP) to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions adopted a series of decisions that led in 2008-2009 to the adoption of a set of recommendations to promote cooperation and collaboration among the three conventions at the national, regional and international level (Basel Convention decision IX/10, Rotterdam Convention decision RC-4/11, Stockholm Convention decision SC-4/34).

As part of the implementation of those recommendations, the simultaneous extraordinary meetings of the Conferences of the Parties to the three Conventions (ex-COPs) took place in February 2010 and further reaffirmed the administrative and operational reforms initiated in previous years.

In 2011, the meetings of the Conferences of the Parties to the Stockholm, Rotterdam and Basel Conventions will be expected to take substantively identical decisions on synergies.

The workshop aims at improving knowledge of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions as well as the Waigani Convention. The emphasis is placed on identifying synergies and linkages at the national level as a way to foster compliance with the Conventions’ requirements.

• Participants will become aware of the process under way to further promote cooperation and coordination among the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions and its possible implications at the regional and national levels;
• Participants will have a better understanding of the status of implementation of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions in the region as well as the national priorities identified by Parties to fulfill their obligations;
• Participants will share information and experience on existing coordination mechanisms at national level as well as identify the areas where further coordination might be required;
• Participants will strengthen their capacities to adopt and implement legal frameworks to regulate chemicals, hazardous and other wastes in compliance with the obligations under the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions as well as under the Waigani Convention.

Official Contact Points from the Pacific region that are Parties to the Conventions; including Basel Convention’s Focal Points, Rotterdam Convention’s Designated National Authorities and Stockholm Conventions’ s Official Contact Points from the following countries: Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

Other key stakeholders, such as non-governmental organizations and intergovernmental organizations, are also welcome to participate in the meeting. 

The regional workshop for the Pacific region will take place from 25 to 29 July 2011 in Suva, Fiji and will be organized in collaboration with the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).

More information about the venue of the workshop will be posted as soon as available.