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I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. The Regional Workshop Promoting The Coordinated Implementation Of The Basel, Rotterdam And Stockholm Conventions In The Middle East And Northern Africa was held in Damascus, Syria on 19-21 July 2004. 2. The Workshop was organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), with support from the Geneva Environment Network, financed fully by the Swiss Agency for the Environment, Forests and Landscape (SAEFL), the Syrian Ministry of Local Administration and the Environment (MOLAE) and the Public Commission on Environmental Affairs (PCEA) of Syria. The Workshop convened under the Patronage of His Excellency Eng. Helal Al-Attrash, Minister of MOLAE. 3. The Workshop addressed the objectives of the three conventions (Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm, MEAs) , the obligations that they impose on Parties, and how they are meant to work at the national level. Also, it discussed how can the three conventions be mutually supportive and complementary and how together provide a coherent framework for managing the life cycle of chemicals. 4. 70 participants representing most countries of the region (MENA), including governmental and non-governmental agencies and regional centres. 5. The Workshop, throughout its working groups and plenary sessions, evaluated the practical coordinated implementation of MEAs in the region, and the countries’ experiences in this regard. 6. At the end of the Workshop, the participants issued a set of Recommendations for the continuing promotion of MEAs clustering and coordinated implementation, indicating conditions, needs and priorities in the region. II. Objectives 7. The main objectives of this Regional Workshop were to develop an understanding of the pertinent MEAS and their coordinated implementation; and to discuss and exchange experiences on how to: • Promote an integrated approach to implementing the three conventions at the national and regional levels. • Promote cooperation and coordination amongst convention focal points and identify opportunities for developing pilot projects for the environmentally sound management of hazardous chemicals and wastes. • Identify options for supporting and enhancing cooperation and joint implementation of the three conventions. 2
8. To this end, country representatives provided presentations on the situation in their own countries, outlining: • What is the status of signing, ratification, acceding and implementation efforts and plan concerning the three MEAs in each country; and how is it compared to other member states in the region • What are the main constraints and challenges • Where have been the key areas of progress achieved • What are the current and future needs to further promote integrated approach and coordinated implementation nationally and regionally • How can countries benefit from each other’s experiences and lesson learned, and how can efforts be integrated and complemented in the region • What is needed from international organizations, conventions secretariats and donors III. Attendance 9. The 70 participants in the Workshop represented eighteen (18) countries in the MENA region; of which 68 governmental representatives from various DNAs (e.g., Environmental, Agricultural Health and/or Foreign Affairs Ministries) and 15 female colleagues. 2 NGOs and 5 international & regional organizations were presenting the workshop. The List of Participants is provided in Annex 1. IV. Opening Session 10. The Workshop was held under the Patronage of under the Patronage of His Excellency Eng. Helal Al-Attrash, Minister of Local Administration and the Environment (MOLAE) in Syria. 11. The Opening Ceremony was attended by HE Minister Al-Attrash, HE Eng. Emad Hasoun, Deputy Minister of MOLAE, Dr. Akram Khory, DG of PCEA, OIC of the Swiss Embassy in Damascus, several representatives of the Diplomatic Missions of participating countries accredited to Syria, The Executive Secretaries of three MEAs (Ms. Sachiko Kuwabara- Yamamoto: Excutive Secretary of the Basel Convention, and Mr. James B. Willis: Executive Secretary of the Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions), among other dignitaries. 12. HE Deputy Minister Hasoun chaired the opening ceremony. The following statements were made: a. HE Minister Al-Attrash welcomed the participants on behalf of the Syrian Government. He stated that Syria is pleased to host this regional Workshop, emphasized the importance of the MEAs, and highlighted the Syrian experience in this regard. He also thanked UNEP and SAEFL on their contributions. 3
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