Panama City, Panama, 30 March 2023 — The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) OzonAction Compliance Assistance Programme (CAP) team in Latin America and the Caribbean in cooperation with the Government of Panama organized a training programme for nine (two men, seven women) National Ozone Officers (NOOs) and National Ozone Assistants (NOAs) from Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago. Also in attendance was an expert NOO from Grenada who participated as a resource person and trainer, as well as three UNEP representatives.
The first National Ozone Unit training was piloted in select regions in 2018 and is now being delivered in all regions. The training for the Caribbean and Haiti was held from 16 to 18 March 2023, back-to-back with the Joint Network Meetings for Latin America and the Caribbean which took place in Panama City from 20 to 24 March 2023.
The main objective of the training was to provide new NOOs and NOAs with basic and essential information about the Montreal Protocol, countries’ obligations under the Montreal Protocol and the main activities to be carried out by NOUs at the national, regional and international level. The training also provided the new officers with basic knowledge and information tools necessary to support local governments and stakeholders in fulfilling their commitments under the Montreal Protocol.
The training programme delivered information to support Officers in carrying out their daily work in an effective manner. This included an understanding of national commitments under the Montreal Protocol, the annual cycle of events, annual and intermittent reporting requirements to the Ozone Secretariat and Multilateral Fund (MLF) Secretariat as well as MLF project cycles. It also addressed key activities at the national level, such as the effective implementation of MLF projects, and interacting with Ozone Depleting Substances users and other stakeholders.
Mrs. Sophia Anselm, National Ozone Officer for the Commonwealth of Dominica remarked “The NOO training conducted by UNEP was an enlightening and engaging experience. The environment enabled the exchange of a wealth of knowledge as well as networking opportunities, assuring the less seasoned NOOs and Assistant NOOs that UNEP and the Ozone community is vast and extremely supportive.”
The training was designed using a series of modules including detailed background information, practical exercise handouts, quizzes, crosswords, innovative activity exercises, evaluation documents, guides for additional work by participants before and after training sessions, and lists of useful additional resources.
The meetings were organised as part of the Regional Network service that OzonAction's CAP provides to Article 5 (developing) countries as part of its role as an Implementing Agency of the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol.
For further information:
Donnalyn Charles
Montreal Protocol Regional Coordinator, Caribbean
UNEP OzonAction, Latin America and the Caribbean
Email: donnalyn.charles@un.org
