Regional Synergies Workshop - 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.

Workshop objectives

• Increasing participants’ understanding on the current process to promote cooperation and coordination among the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions,
• Fostering the implementation of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions by building synergies and linkages at the national level,
• Enhancing the opportunities to mobilize resources and strengthen legal and regulatory frameworks to comply with the obligations under the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions in a coordinated manner.

Outcomes

• Participants are aware of the process under way to promote cooperation and coordination among the three conventions and its possible implications at the regional and national levels;
• Participants 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 shared information and experience on existing coordination mechanisms at national level as well as identify the areas where further coordination might be required;
• Participants received guidance in relation to resource mobilization strategies for the implementation of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions;
• Participants strengthened 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.

Target Audience

Official Contact Points from French-speaking countries in Africa 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: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Sao Tome and Príncipe, Guinea Conakry and Togo.

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

Timing and Venue

The regional workshop for French-speaking African countries took will take place in Hotel les Almadies, Dakar, Senegal from 5 to 8 July 2011.

Meeting Documents

Introduction

Enhancing cooperation and coordination among the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions

Country Presentations

Legal and institutional frameworks

Technical Assistance and Resource Mobilization in the Field of Chemicals and Hazardous Wastes

Guidance Documents