The Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention, in collaboration with the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) and the Green Growth Knowledge Partnership (GGKP), hosted a three-day technical workshop on 26-28 November in Nairobi, Kenya. The event brought together over 40 experts, including representatives from 15 African countries participation in the GEF-funded project (ID 10785, titled “Global Development, Review, and Update of National Implementation Plans (NIPs) under the Stockholm Convention (SC) on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).”
Funded by the Government of Sweden through KEMI and the European Union, the workshop focused on enhancing participants' understanding of their obligations under Article 7 of the Stockholm Convention, particularly in light of the newly added industrial persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and POPs inventories in the context of overall development, review and update of National Implementation Plans (NIPs). A major highlight was the capacity-building aspect, aimed at enabling countries in the African region to effectively use the guidance documents and training tools provided by the Convention to update their NIPs.
Key sessions focused on the development of sectoral inventories for POPs within the electrical and electronic waste, transport, and building and construction sectors. Experts also presented various case studies demonstrating successful strategies for inventory development in these critical areas . Additionally, the workshop emphasized using harmonized reporting tools and identifying sustainable waste and plastic management actions.
The event fostered a collaboration among national officials and representatives from Regional Centres, international experts, GEF-implementing agencies, reinforcing a shared comittment to safeguarding public health and the environment.
For more information about the workshop's outcomes and future initiatives, please visit the Stockholm Convention Secretariat website. Presentation materials an be found here.
Photo credit: International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE)