On 3 September 2026 (10:00-12:00 CEST), the Green Growth Knowledge Partnership (GGKP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) will host the kick-off meeting of the GEF-funded, UNEP-led GEF 11945 and GEF 12123 project “Global Development, Review and Update of National Implementation Plans (NIPs) under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)” for project countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The meeting will introduce participating countries to the project, its components and objectives, while presenting the activities that will follow during implementation. Participants will be introduced to the executing agencies, knowledge products and tools developed under the existing Global NIP Update project (GEF 10785), the project knowledge-sharing platform and the Green Forum NIP Update Community of Practice.
The event will be held in English. Simultaneous interpretation into Spanish shall be provided.
Objectives
- Introduce participating countries to the Global NIP Update II project (GEF 11945 and GEF 12123) – their objectives, components, executing agencies and partners – and clarify the roles, responsibilities and functions of each actor.
- Present the policy, institutional and technical support and the stakeholder-engagement approach available to countries for NIP development, endorsement and future implementation, delivered in coordination with the Stockholm Convention regional centres.
- Familiarize participants with the knowledge-sharing methods, tools, processes and training activities under the project.
- Gather countries’ initial challenges and priorities for technical support to inform project planning and tailored support.
- Promote country ownership of the NIP update and national reporting process and lay the basis for sustained regional collaboration and capacity building throughout implementation.
Target audience
- Stockholm Convention Official Contact Points and National Focal Points, particularly from project countries and GEF operational focal points
- National officials and experts involved in the process of reviewing and updating the NIPs
- Members of the National Statistical Office and similar institutions
- Practitioners working on POPs inventory and management
- Members of potential NIP National Coordinating Mechanism/Committees and Project Coordination Units/Thematic Task Groups
- Representatives of Regional Centers and relevant stakeholders
Agenda
| TIME (CEST) | Description | Speaker |
| 10:00 | Welcome and opening remarks. Introduction of participants | Moderator: Hannes Mac Nulty (GGKP, UNEP) Opening remarks: BRS Secretariat |
| 10:10 | Overview of NIP Global projects (including links with GEF 10785 project) | Jitendra Sharma (UNEP) and Thandeka Mbatha (UNEP) |
| 10:25 | Introduction of regional centres and lessons learned from GEF 10785 project (Component 2: NIP development, review and update (Art. 7) in coordination with national reporting (Art. 15)) | BCCC-SCRC Uruguay |
| 10:35 | Introduction to Component 1: Policy, institutional, technical support and stakeholder involvement for NIP development, endorsement and future implementation | Mihaela Paun (UNEP) |
| 10:55 | Introduction to Component 3: Knowledge management and information sharing | Dr. Fabienne Pierre (GGKP, UNEP) |
| 11:15 | Survey on country challenges and interest, Questions and Answers | All |
| 11:40 | Closing remarks |
Contacts
Dr. Fabienne Pierre
GGKP Coordinator, Global NIP Update Project Manager, UNEP
email: fabienne.pierre [at] un.org
Soomin Bae
Global NIP Update Project Support Consultant, GGKP, UNEP
email: soomin.bae [at] un.org
Mihaela Paun
Programme Management Officer, Agrifood and Health Unit, Chemicals and Health Branch, UNEP
email: mihaela.paun2 [at] un.org
Thandeka Mbatha
Task Manager, GEF Chemicals and Green Chemistry Unit, UNEP
email: thandeka.mbatha [at] un.org (thandeka[dot]mbatha[at]un[dot]org)
This is a closed meeting for project participants, implementing and executing agencies, and invited stakeholders involved in the GEF-funded, UNEP-led Global NIP Update project.