SAICM Regional Meetings January - February, 2018
19-21 February, 2018
During the first and the second days of the SAICM CEE regional meeting, panel discussions were focused on countries' experiences, including financial mechanisms, success stories, lessons learned, and exchanges of information on scientific, technological and technical cooperation. During these sessions, IPEN colleagues Jasminka Randjelovic (ALHem, Serbia), Denys Pavlovskyi (MAMA-86, Ukraine), Gohar Khojayan (AWHHE, Armenia), and Muazama Burkhanova (Foundation in Support of Civil Initiatives, Tajikistan) were among the presenters.
Muazama Burkhanova from the Foundation in Support of Civil Initiatives, Tajikistan participated in a side-event on lead in paint. In her presentation, she highlighted IPEN's work in the EECCA region and globally. Find her presentation here. In the Q&A section of her presentation, Denis Pavlovsky from MAMA-86 Ukraine highlighted the role IPEN POs have taken in Ukraine to address the issue of lead in paint.
Oleg Pechenuk from the Independent Ecological Expertise, Kyrgyzstan raised concerns over insufficient financial resources and the need for sustainable funding sources for all SAICM stakeholders. He also highlighted the importance of national standards on lead in paint as well as the importance of the Model Law and Guidance for Regulating Lead Paint.
Denis Pavlosvsky made a presentation highlighting the overall work of IPEN POs in CEE and EECCA regions on SAICM implementation. See his full presentation here.
Oxana Tsitser from Eco-Accord made several interventions on measurable goals and priorities for Beyond 2020 based on IPEN's positions. She also highlighted the role of Eco-Accord in the implementation of the national mercury inventory sources and early implementation of the Minamata Convention. She noted serious gaps in national monitoring and the control of mercury emissions and releases in Russia and other EECCA countries. She actively participated in the discussion on the need to address the toxic legacy in EECCA countries, including obsolete pesticide stockpiles, illegal obsolete pesticide trade and illicit transfer of counterfeit pesticides. A similar situation with counterfeit pharmaceuticals was noted.
Gohar Kojayan from AWHHE made a presentation at a World Health Organization (WHO) side event on WHO “Roadmap to enhance health sector engagement in the strategic approach to international chemicals management towards the 2020 goal and beyond.”
All presentations are available here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6no6iux9e2br1sd/AAD-ZdJc4XdzY6eo8OH2RYe7a/Monday?dl=0
Additional highlights from the SAICM CEE regional meeting:
IPEN PO representatives noted the value of systematic monitoring and control of chemicals as well as the need to strengthen national legislation. Illegal pesticide trade, and the need to involve Interpol and NGOs were also discussed.
There were different proposals for the Beyond 2020 Vision. However the following suggestion was supported by the majority of participants (23 votes): To avoid or minimize adverse effects of chemicals (and waste) to human health and the environment (during the whole life cycle).
18 February, 2018
IPENers from the Central and Eastern European region gathered in Lodz from the 18th-21st of February for the SAICM's CEE regional meeting. A preparatory meeting took place on February 18th with 8 participants, representing 7 different countries. During the meeting, IPEN's Quick Views documents for the SAICM CEE regional meeting were discussed, providing comments on SAICM's Beyond 2020 Process. The Quick Views cover topics such as visions, policy principles, objectives and milestones, governance, high-level political commitment, financing, and science-policy interface.
11 February, 2018
Welfare Togo produced a press release reporting on events of the Africa regional meeting in Abidjan, noting an issue that was certain "was the fact that majority of delegates (government and non- governmental) are not involved in other processes that have far-reaching implications on SAICM beyond 2020. There was a clear knowledge gap on the status of other processes such as the African Development Agenda (Agenda 2063) and the Paris Agreement (through the Nationally Determined Contributions). Some proposed measures and actions in these processes may bring additional chemical and waste management challenges on a huge scale." Read the rest of this press release here.
6 February, 2018
Find IPEN's Quick Views for the SAICM EU-JUSSCANNZ Regional Meeting (English, français, español) here.
6 February, 2018
Find some interventions made by IPENers in Abidjan here and additional coverage of the meeting here.
Gilbert Kuepouo, PhD, Director of CREPD (IPEN Regional Hub for Francophone Africa) in Cameroon gave a presentation on the progress of lead paint regulation in Africa. See his presentation here.
5 February, 2018
IPENers gathered in Abidjan for a preparatory meeting on 5 February, the day before the SAICM regional meeting began. The meeting agenda included a review of IPEN's position on SAICM "Beyond 2020" and the items to be addressed on the SAICM meeting agenda.
30 January, 2018
IPEN Quick Views for the SAICM Africa Regional Meeting
Find IPEN's Quick Views for the SAICM Africa Regional Meeting (English, français, لعربية) here.
You can find Africa Regional Meeting documents, including the meeting agenda, the report from the previous regional meeting in Pretoria, and more, from the SAICM Secretariat on this page.
30 January, 2018
Fernando Bejarano, IPEN Regional Hub Coordinator for Latin America, gave a presentation at the meeting about advances in SAICM implementation in Latin Amercia and Caribbean, focusing on work to eliminate lead in paint and highly hazardous pesticides, as well as efforts focused on nanotechnology.
Zuleica Nycz, Director of IPEN Participating Organization Toxisphera, also gave a statement about work to eliminate lead paint in Brazil.
29 January, 2018
Javier Souza, Coordinator of Red de Acción en Plaguicidas y Alternativas de América Latina (RAP-AL) and Director of Centro de Estudios sobre Tecnologías Apropiadas de la Argentina Rivadavia (CETAAR), made the following statement at the meeting to remind governments that the participation of civil society is necessary and it is useful to engage covil society due to its experience in developing awareness-raising activities and training programs, as well as research on highly hazardous pesticides, recycling, and agro-ecology:
"Es necesario mantener una continuidad en el desarrrollo de las tareas al interior de cada país, las interrupciones impiden el desarrollo de una estratgias y de las actividades. Muchas veces son las desarticulaciones entre las áreas d eslo gobiernso los que impiden un trabajo continuo. Se hace muy necesario la participación de la sociedad civil. No hay que tener miedo. Tenemos mucha expeiencia en le desarrrollo de actividades de sensibilización, capacitación, incidencia polutica ye investigación sobre plaguicidas altamente peligrosos, reciclaje, agroecología a vuestra disposición."
24 January, 2018
IPEN Quick Views for the SAICM Latin America & Caribbean Regional Meeting
Find IPEN's Quick Views for the SAICM Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Meeting (español/ English) here.
You can find Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Meeting documents, including the meeting agenda, the report from the previous regional meeting in Mexico City, and more, from the SAICM Secretariat on this page.
23 January, 2018
Please find some interventions from IPENers in Bangkok for the Asia Pacific regional meeting here. These interventions were done during the discussion on experiences and impact of emerging policy issues in the region with topics on lead in paint, pharmaceuticals, chemicals in products and electronics.
17 January, 2018
IPEN Quick Views for the SAICM Asia Pacific Regional Meeting
Find IPEN's Quick Views for the SAICM Asia Pacific Regional Meeting (English / عربى) here. This document highlights IPEN's views on vision, policy principles, objectives and milestones, governance and additional aspects of the SAICM's Beyond 2020 process.
You can find Asia Pacific Regional Meeting documents, including the meeting agenda, the report from the previous regional meeting in Kuala Lumpur, and more, from the SAICM Secretariat on this page.
15 January, 2018
IPEN will be participating in upcoming SAICM regional meetings in Bangkok, Panama City, Abidjan, Paris and Lodz. Please refer back to this page to read about IPEN's activities at these meetings, which will take place from January to February, 2018.
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