Second meeting of the Executive Board of the Special Programme

The second meeting of the Executive Board of the Special Programme to support institutional strengthening at the national level for implementation of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, the Minamata convention and the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) took place on 11-13 October 2016, in Bangkok, Thailand.

The main objective of the meeting was to review the eligible and complete applications submitted for the first and pilot round of applications.

The launch of the first call for applications took place on 5 April 2016. By the deadline of 4 July 2016, 54 applications from 45 countries were received for the first round of applications. Between July and September 2016, the secretariat undertook an appraisal of the applications for eligibility and completeness resulting in 42 applications being presented to the Executive Board for their consideration and approval.

The Executive Board of the Special Programme approved seven projects during the pilot round amounting to US$ 1.75 million, taking into consideration, regional balance and the special needs of least developed countries and small island developing states, as follows:

Benin: Legal and institutional strengthening for the sound management of chemicals in Benin

Tanzania: Strengthening institutional capacity for sound management of chemicals and waste in the United Republic of Tanzania

Iraq: Develop and strengthen the institutional structure for the management of chemicals and waste in Iraq

Kyrgyz Republic: Strengthening capacities for national implementation of chemicals and waste related international agreements

Ukraine: Strengthening the enforcement of the Rotterdam Convention in Ukraine, and building capacity to counteract illegal trafficking of chemicals

Argentina: Strengthening national capacity for the sounds management of chemicals and waste

Dominican Republic: Strengthening institutional capacity for the implementation of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions, the Minamata Convention and SAICM in Dominican Republic.