Regional multi-stakeholder workshop: Anglophone West Africa sub-regional action planning on mercury use in artisanal and small scale gold mi...

Regional multi-stakeholder workshop: Anglophone West Africa sub-regional action planning on mercury use in artisanal and small scale gold mining, from 8-10 June 2011 in Nigeria.

Purpose of the meeting

To enhance regional collaboration and coordination through exchange of experiences and lessons learned on a regional level
To raise the awareness of governments and stakeholders
To build momentum for regional and national action plan

• Agenda
• National Strategic Plan, Guidance document
• Example of national plan: Philippines
• Meeting Report

Day 1, Wednesday 8 June 2011

Introductory remarks (United Nations Environment Programme, Ms. Brenda Koekkoek)

Regional situations

• Nigeria
• Ethiopia
• Liberia
• Gambia

Session on Technical Aspects

• An overview of best practices and field interventions to date (Natural Resources Defense Council, Ms. Susan Keane)
• Technical approach in ASGM in Nigeria, including suggestions on best practices with appropriate  examples (Federal University of Technology, Prof Z.O. Opafunso)
• Gold amalgamation process in Mozambique (CASM Africa Chairperson, Salvador Mondlane)
• Reducing mercury exposures and transitioning miners away from mercury use (AGENDA, Haji Rehani)

Day 2, Thursday 9 June 2011

Morning session on Zamfara incident

• Update on the lead poisoning incident in zamfara state, Nigeria (Ministry of mines and steel development, Mr. O.Z. Azubike)
• Overview of Lead Poisoning Outbreak Response in Zamfara State (Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Sukiru Ozlanrewaju Badaru)
• Meredith Block, Blacksmith Institute.

Session on Formalization

• Formalization of ASGM: Is it possible to achieve? (Alliance for Responsible Mining, Maria Laura Barreto)
• A regulatory framework for ASGM (Mrs. Meaza Termat, Ministry of Mines, Ethiopia)
• Formalization in Mali (SAICM focal point, Mali)
• Formalization and legalization of artisanal and small-scale mining in Nigeria (Ministry of Mines and steel development, ENGR. Charles Uka).

Session on Financing

• Financing of mineral resources project (World Bank, Linus Adie)
• An overview of SAICM/QSP in Mali
• Funding ASGM Projects in West Africa (NRDC, Susan Keane)
• Environment for development (United Nations Environment Programme, Usman Tariq)

Day 3, Friday 10 June 2011

Strategic Planning (United Nations Environment Programme, Brenda Koekkoek)

Break out groups 

• Minutes from Group 1
• Minutes from Group 2

Communique