The training was organized by the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions in cooperation with the Basel Convention Coordinating Centre for the African Region in Nigeria. The European Union has kindly provided the funding for the training course.
Workshop objectives
- To enhance participants’ understanding of the processes for reviewing and listing chemicals under the Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions;
- To enhance participants’ awareness of relevant scientific information to be provided by the Parties for a successful review process;
- To gain experience on how scientific information collected by the POPRC in the risk profiles and risk management evaluations of POPs could inform the CRC review process;
- To provide opportunities for information exchange and networking among Committee members, experts, Parties and observers;
- To provide a forum to discuss and explore a synergized approach for the implementation of the conventions at the national and regional levels.
Target audience
The training session targeted national officials in the English-speaking Africa, who are responsible and/or involved in the chemicals management process at the national level, specifically in the issues related to the Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions. In addition, representatives of Regional Centres, GEF Implementing Agencies and the civil society organizations were welcome to participate in the meeting. The participants represented the following countries: Ethiopia, Gambia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Somalia, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Outcome
The workshop enhanced the understanding of Parties and stakeholders on the work of the scientific bodies. The members of the Committees shared their experience on critical procedural steps in the review processes of the CRC and the POPRC and the importance of relevant scientific information to correctly inform these steps. The discussions and open dialogues at the workshop hav shown to Parties, the importance of monitoring and risk evaluation data generated at the national and regional levels. The workshop provided opportunities to build a dialogue between governments and academic and research institutions present in the region. The Parties recognized that networking with academia in the region was fundamental for focal points and DNAs under the Stockholm and Rotterdam conventions.