Sixth Meeting of the Executive Board of the Special Programme to Support Institutional Strengthening

The second session of the sixth meeting of the Executive Board of the Special Programme was held online from 1-2 September 2021, during which the Executive Board adopted 3 key substantive decisions:

Consideration of Inventory Of Representation Arrangements in Similar Mechanisms

The Executive Board considered the challenges experienced in the nominations process for the membership of the Executive Board which rotates every two years. It also considered the recommended amendments to the Rules of Procedure and adopted updates to facilitate the nomination process.

Recommendation for Extension of Duration of the Special Programme

The Terms of Reference of the Special Programme provide that it may be eligible for a one-time extension, not to exceed an additional five years, subject to a recommendation from the Executive Board to the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), and on the basis of a satisfactory review and evaluation. The Executive Board considered the information presented on the value added of the Special Programme and decided to adopt a recommendation to extend the Special Programme.

Discussion on Private Sector Engagement in Preparation for the 2022 Private Sector Engagement Session

During its fourth teleconference, the Executive Board requested the Secretariat to arrange for a dedicated session for engagement with representatives of the private sector. Executive Board discussed the parameters and possible outcomes of the proposed private sector engagement session.

The first session of the sixth meeting of the Executive Board of the Special Programme was held online from 1-5 March 2021, during which the Executive Board adopted two key substantive decisions:

Approval of projects in the fourth round of funding under the Special Programme

The Executive Board approved 15 projects from amongst the 38 projects that were submitted for consideration. The 15 approved projects were submitted by Armenia, Belarus, Burundi, Georgia, Malawi, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Peru, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Sudan and Uzbekistan. The Special Programme Secretariat is currently working with the successful applicants to finalize the project implementation arrangements.

The approval of these new projects brings the portfolio of Special Programme funded projects to 57, (19 from Africa, 16 from Asia Pacific, 15 from Central and Eastern Europe and 7 from Latin America and the Caribbean), with the total commitment under the projects amounting to $15,2 million.

Approval of arrangements for the launch of the fifth round of applications

The Executive Board considered and endorsed, with some amendments, the draft guidance, guidelines and application forms, as well as the timeframe, for the launch of the fifth round of funding. The fifth round, which for the first time invites applications on regional projects, was launched on 7 April 2021 with a closing date of 7 August 2021.  Eligible countries are invited to visit the Special Programme website, which includes an e-learning module to facilitate the submission of an application for funding, for further information. The Special Programme Secretariat is also available to provide support, and can be contacted on unepchemicalsspecialprogramme[at]un.org.