Report of the fifth African regional meeting on the ... · PDF filea. Election of officers b....

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SAICM/RM/AFR.6/2

Distr.: General 30 January 2018 English

6th African regional meeting on the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, 6-8 February 2018 Item 5 of the provisional agenda* SAICM and the sound management of chemicals and waste beyond 2020

Report of the fifth African regional meeting on the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), Pretoria, South Africa, 22 November 2013

Note by the secretariat

1. The secretariat has the honour to circulate in the annex to the present note, the report of the fifth African regional meeting on the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management, (SAICM) held in Pretoria, South Africa, 22 November 2013 for the information of participants.

*SAICM/RM/AFR.6/1

SAICM/RM/AFR.6/2

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SAICM/RM/Afr.5/7

Distr.: General 13 February 2014

English and French

Fifth African regional meeting on the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management Pretoria, South Africa, 22 November 2013.

Report of the fifth African regional meeting on the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management

A. 1. Opening of the meeting

1. The fifth African regional meeting on the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) was held at the Burger’s Park Hotel, Pretoria on 22 November 2013. The meeting was preceded by a Workshop on the Inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals (IOMC) tool-box for decision makers in Chemicals Management on Monday 18 November, the 1st African workshop on Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals on Tuesday 19 November and a Technical Information Sharing session on SAICM emerging policy issues and other issues of interest on Wednesday 20 November. On Thursday 21 November a SAICM priority setting workshop was held.

2. Mr. Jamidu Katima (University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania), the Regional Focal Point for Africa, opened the meeting at 9.10 a.m. by thanking the Government of South Africa for its generosity and assistance in organizing the meeting.

2. Organizational matters

1. (a) Election of officers

3. Mr. Jamidu Katima recalled the recent appointment of Mr. Richard Lesiyampe as Principal Secretary Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, Kenya and replacing Mr. Ali Daud Mohammed as President of the bureau for the fourth session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM). Mr. Katima congratulated Mr. Lesiyampe for his recent appointment and invited the region to elect him as the second co-chair.

4. The meeting elected Mr. Katima and Mr. Lesiyampe to serve as co-chairs of the meeting. Mr. Adel Shafei Mohamed Osman (Egypt) agreed to serve as rapporteur for the meeting.

2. (b) Adoption of the agenda

5. The agenda was adopted on the basis of the provisional agenda set forth in document SAICM/RM/Afr.5/1 as follows:

1. Opening of the meeting

2. Organizational matters

a. Election of officers

b. Adoption of the agenda c. Organization of work

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3. Implementation of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management

a. Evaluation of and guidance on the regional implementation, review and updating of the Strategic Approach for the Central and Eastern European region

b. Financial and technical resources for implementation

c. Quick Start Programme project results from the region

d. Emerging policy issues and other issues of concern

4. Implementation of and coherence between international instruments and programmes

5. Information exchange and scientific and technical cooperation

6. Towards the 2020 Goal of Sound Chemicals Management

7. Implementation of the Health Sector Strategy

8. Preparations for the second meeting of the Open-ended Working Group and the fourth session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management

9. Other matters

10. Adoption of the report

11. Closure of the meeting.

3. (c) Organization of work

6. The meeting agreed to meet from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

4. (d) Attendance

7. The meeting was attended by representatives of the following countries: Algeria, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo Republic, Congo Democratic Republic, Cote D’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia.

8. Representatives of the following intergovernmental organizations and regional organizations also attended: Africa Institute, Global Environment Facility (GEF), Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Environment Programme Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the World Health Organization Regional Office Africa (WHO AFRO).

9. The meeting was also attended by representatives of the following non-governmental organizations: Agenda for Environment and Responsible Development (AGENDA), Association de l’Education Environnementale pour les Future Generations (AEEFG), Basel Convention Coordinating Centre for Africa (BCCC Africa), Centre for Occupational Environment Health Research, Centre de Recherche et d’Education pour le Developpement (CREPD), Centre for International Environmental Law (CIEL), CROPLIFE International, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Ecological Restorations, Global Alliance on Health and Pollution (GAHP), Groupe D’Action Pour la Promotion de la Flore et la Faune (GAPROFFA), International Council of Chemicals Association (ICCA), International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN), International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Africa, Molefe Pranamu, North West University (South Africa), Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Africa, Suez Canal University and University of Pretoria.

B. 3. Implementation of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management

10. The representative of the secretariat introduced documents SAICM/RM/Afr.5/INF/3, containing the report of the fourth African regional meeting on the Strategic Approach, held in Nairobi in 2011 and recalled the functions of regional meetings as laid out in the SAICM Overarching Policy Strategy and resolutions of the ICCM. She invited Mr. Katima in his role as African regional focal point to make a short presentation on the outcome of the seventh meeting of the SAICM African Core Group held on Sunday 17 November 2013 in Pretoria, the report of which can be found in SAICM/RM/Afr.5/INF/18.

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11. In his report Mr. Katima highlighted some of the discussions that had taken place including on how to continue SAICM business, the African regional workplan, taking stock of work done so far in particular under the SAICM Quick Start Programme (QSP), emerging issues, synergies, regional centres and needs, including prioritization, and lack of financial resources. He added that National Implementation Plans had been prepared in most countries but had been developed as a final product instead of a means to guide management of chemicals. He urged countries of the region to use the national implementation plans for chemicals management in general and implementation of SAICM in particular and also noted the need to improve and maintain communication. He closed by noting the country-led consultative process on the challenges to and options for further enhancing cooperation and coordination within the chemicals and wastes cluster in the long term, the first meeting of which had taken place in Pretoria earlier the same week, and how SAICM would fit into that process.

12. The representative of Zambia informed the meeting of discussions held during that consultative process. The mandate of the process was received from the UNEP Governing Council through decision GC-26/12. The meeting intended to seek a common understating of the aim and scope and identify a road map for the process taking into account the UNEP Executive Director’s report, UNEP/GC.26/16 on Enhancing cooperation and coordination within the chemicals and wastes cluster. The outcome of the process will be reported to the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEP) in June 2014.

13. He said the first day, participants at the meeting had brain stormed on what countries felt would be a vision for chemicals and waste management after 2020. There had been strong support for SAICM and a need to build on what SAICM had achieved rather than reinvent a new process. The meeting had discussed further a co-chair paper containing a brief introduction, vision, gaps and opportunities at the national, regional and international levels and next steps. Several participants, he said, had suggested focusing on implementation of sound management of chemicals and waste at country level. The meeting agreed that a revised paper would be developed by end February taking into account discussions and comments to be submitted by end December and would be the working document for a second and final meeting to be convened in early March.

14. It was agreed that the meeting would discuss the issue further under agenda item 4.

5. (a) Evaluation of and guidance on the regional implementation, review and updating of the Strategic Approach for the African region

15. Under this agenda item, the representative of the secretariat introduced the relevant documentation (SAICM/RM/Afr.5/2, Reporting on progress in the implementation of SAICM in the African region, SAICM/RM/Afr.5/INF/4 Summary of the Priority Setting Workshop of the African Regional meeting on SAICM and SAICM/RM/Afr.5/INF/19 Reporting on SAICM Implementation 2011-2013), and noted that participants would have discussed progress, identified regional gaps and agreed on a set of priority actions for SAICM implementation in the region during the workshop on Priority setting with regional perspectives held on Thursday 21 November 2013.

16. The representative of the secretariat also highlighted that ICCM at its third session had agreed that the secretariat should develop a second progress report for the period 2011–2013 for consideration by the Conference at its fourth session. The Conference encouraged the full use of the results and information collected using the reporting tool for regional consultation and follow-up. The SAICM secretariat intended to initiate the second reporting cycle for progress from January-March 2014 and encouraged all stakeholders in the region to actively participate.

17. Subsequently, participants worked on the summary table of the regional priority setting workshop that took place on Thursday 20 November.

18. In the ensuing discussion, a number of participants expressed satisfaction with the priority setting workshop. One participant noted that the meeting had been a good opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences in support of each other in the region and urged participants to continue in that vein.

19. During the workshop, many participants reported on the achievements made since the inception of SAICM. Achievements included the following:

(a) More collaborative relationships between Governments and industry;

(b) Reporting on progress from all stakeholders, allowing for better stocktaking: (c) Harmonized registration of pesticides involving 16 countries in the region;

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(d) Effective and transparent multi-stakeholder engagement, enabling issues of chemical safety to be more visible at regional level;

(e) Effective engagement of the private sector in the implementation of risk reduction policies, including agro system and insurance companies as drivers for quick change;

(f) Development of institutional and legal frameworks, legislation focusing on mainstreaming chemicals into national policies and strategies as well as into national budgeting processes;

(g) New standard classification of chemicals GHS;

(h) Establishment of multi stakeholder coordinating mechanisms for sound management of chemicals;

(i) Establishment of poison control centers and the development of a feasibility study for the establishment of a network of poison control center to serve as regional hubs of information and other services.

(j) Establishments of a local chapter of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry;

(k) Establishment of a new regional association of pesticides regulators, providing a forum for discussing new developments, challenges and lessons learned;

(l) Establishment of national frameworks working on the prevention and response to chemical emergencies;

(m) Development of national chemicals profile as a tool for raising awareness and guiding priority actions;

(n) Increased capacities in civil society groups on sound chemicals management issues;

(o) Effective implementation of policies for the control of lead in paints, including labeling, legislations on import restrictions and the destruction of lead pigments;

(p) Establishment of criteria for the definition of Highly Hazardous Pesticides and the search for suitable alternatives; and

(q) Establishment of a system of classification of industrial chemicals.

20. The final table as amended in plenary is available as Annex I to the current meeting report. In total, 25 basic elements were identified for sound chemicals management in the region.

6. (b) Financial and technical resources for implementation

21. Under the agenda item, the representative of the secretariat introduced the following documents: SAICM/RM/Afr.5/3 on financial and technical resources for the implementation of SAICM, SAICM/RM/Afr.5/INF/5 with a summary of projects and activities supported by the GEF funds from its fifth replenishment and SAICM/RM/Afr.5/INF/6 the terms of reference for a special programme to support institutional strengthening at the national level for implementation of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, the Minamata Convention on Mercury and SAICM.

22. Many participants stressed the importance of sufficient financial resources for implementation of SAICM, noting the ambitious work plan to be accomplished by the rapidly approaching 2020 goal. It was noted that the QSP had been the main source of financing for SAICM activities globally from which Africa had benefited greatly. However the QSP was reaching an end and there was currently insufficient funds to finance projects. Recalling the consultative process to develop terms of reference for a special programme to support institutional strengthening at the national level for implementation of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, the Minamata Convention on Mercury and SAICM, participants noted that the outcome benefit SAICM and would be submitted by the Executive Director of UNEP to the UNEA in June 2013. However that programme was specific to institutional strengthening alone.

23. Many participants noted that the ending of the QSP would inevitably lead to a gap in financial resources that could not be filled despite funding provided by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). Several participants recognized the need to explore other, sustainable sources of financing in the region while urging the GEF VI replenishment process to expand its chemicals window to contribute more generously to the chemicals and waste cluster. One participant suggested examining options for bridging between different GEF funding windows on chemicals. Taking into account the outcomes of

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Rio+20 he, supported by others, also suggested further links with other multilateral environmental agreements such as possible links between chemical use and climate change, desertification or biodiversity loss that could implement SAICM activities under their aegis. Many participants suggested options for interlinking with all chemicals related multilateral environmental agreements.

24. Some participants suggested that a solution be found to replace the QSP. While it was initially established only for a limited time period, it was for the purpose of enabling activities. Given the level of achievement of the QSP and within the context of sustainability it would be useful to further the QSP with a broader mandate. One participant suggested a means be sought for replenishment of the QSP on a regular basis, which could attend to priorities at the regional level agreed by donors and recipients alike. Participants were concerned that following the extension of the period to receive contributions to the QSP trust fund until 2015, contributions were well below the established target of 2.5 million US dollars per year for the period 2013-2015.

25. One participant, voiced concern that only one third of the annual proposed funding for SAICM had been received by September to finance the secretariat, convening of meetings and preparing documents. Another participant said industry associations were exploring means to provide in-kind support to the SAICM secretariat.

26. The representative of GEF made a brief presentation on the current situation of GEF financing for the chemicals and waste cluster. He noted that the GEF Council approved an allocation of 10 million US dollars to allow countries having signed the Minamata Convention undertake mercury initial assessment (MIA) and said the GEF secretariat already prepared initial guidelines for enabling activities for the Minamata Convention that identify activities eligible to receive funding for a maximum of 200,000 US dollars per country. The funding would be available for the remaining of GEF-5 (till June 2014). He added that the GEF VI replenishment would be finalized in May 2014 for the period July 2014 to June 2018. He added that as GEF supported projects with global impact of chemicals, there was an emphasis of funding for projects under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Chemicals, the Minamata Convention on Mercury and the Montreal Protocol, followed by SAICM. However, he noted that the GEF encourages countries to develop projects that would bring about POPs, mercury and SAICM to promote integrated sound management of chemicals at the local level.

27. The representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) suggested that other windows of opportunity for collaboration be explored, for example through the International Health Regulations (IHR), the legally-binding agreement significantly contributing to global public health security by providing a new framework for the coordination of the management of events that might constitute a public health emergency of international concern, and aims to improve the capacity of all countries to detect, assess, notify and respond to public health threats. One of the gaps identified through the IHR for the African region was the capacity to address chemicals and handling emergencies.

28. Subsequent to general comments the meeting discussed a draft resolution on financing the Strategic Approach. Participants made several proposals for amendments. In addition, one participant suggested that the draft resolution be presented to the next meeting of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment due to be held before the UNEA. It was suggested that presenting the resolution might provide impetus to ministers of the region to consider the allocation of one per cent of gross domestic product to sound management of chemicals and wastes at the national level.

29. The meeting adopted a resolution on financing the Strategic Approach, which is attached to the current report in part B of Annex II.

7. (c) Quick Start Programme project results from the region

30. The representative of the secretariat introduced document SAICM/RM/Afr.5/4 on the Quick Start Programme contribution to Strategic Approach implementation in the African region. She recalled that at the third session of the ICCM the Conference had decided to extend the term for contributions to the QSP Trust Fund until its fourth session in 2015 and that funds committed to projects before the close of the Trust Fund could be disbursed until all approved projects were completed.

31. She said that since its establishment in 2006, 63 QSP projects had been approved in the African region, 21 of which had completed all project activities and four of which were suspended. She highlighted that continued funds were necessary and a new revised target for replenishment suggested 2.5 million US dollars were needed from 2013 to 2015. Eight proposals that had been approved at the twelfth round for a total of 1.6 million US dollars would be funded from resources received from the European Union. Currently 300,000 Euros were available from a contribution made

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by the Government of France earmarked for projects related to non-chemical alternatives and additional contributions had been received from Finland, Germany and South Africa.

32. Many countries praised the positive impact of the QSP for improved sound management of chemicals and wastes in the African region. One participant referred to a multi-country activity on chemicals accidents and their prevention in the Eastern African region and lauded the experience gained from the project. Another participant referring to the importance of that project highlighted the difficulties faced by transit countries that were targets for illegal dumping of chemicals.

33. One participant drew attention to the influence of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) in the region. He noted that the GHS had been mainstreamed into national legislation and had created a policy and standard in some countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADEC). He suggested similar activities for other African regions. He also noted the impact of an assessment on coordination possibilities of regional poison control centres that was catalyzing countries to consider establishing national poison control centres. Those that exist were already providing some services and it was suggested they could assist those countries planning on setting up new ones including establishing a sub-regional poison control centre as a network hub.

34. A few participants informed on progress made in mainstreaming chemical issues into national implementation strategies and sector strategies and on national projects implemented through QSP assistance. It was suggested that a compilation be made of all QSP projects undertaken on the continent to learn from experience, both good and bad, and see how to share positive examples as case studies. At the same time a stock taking of projects that were not undertaken, completed or accepted should be made and the reasons why to ensure countries of the regions moved at the same pace and to take advantage of the momentum created through the QSP. All participants who took the floor noted the need for continued financial resources to optimize operation of the QSP.

35. The representative of the secretariat said that projects had been suspended mainly due lack of capacity at the country level. She added that work was underway to ensure sharing of information on successful QSP projects and their implementation. She noted that following on a request from the Government of Sweden terms of reference were being developed to undertake an evaluation of the QSP based on its impact. The terms of reference would be presented to the Executive Board of the QSP in May 2014 following which there will be on-site visits in the second half of 2014. Results were expected to be ready to communicate to the ICCM at its fourth session in 2015.

8. (d) Emerging policy issues and other issues of concern

36. The representative of the secretariat introduced document SAICM/RM/Afr.5/5 on Progress on emerging policy issues and other issues of concern, providing information on progress to date on lead in paint, chemicals in products, nanotechnology and nanomaterials, hazardous substances within the life cycle of electrical and electronic products, and endocrine disrupting chemicals.

37. Participants attended the workshop on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), which was held on Tuesday 19 November to further review the state of science and policy development of this issue. A revised workplan for EDCs had been developed based on input received from the Bureau and was available to the meeting as document SAICM/RM/Afr.5/INF/7. Participants were requested to complete a questionnaire about experiences, activities and needs regarding endocrine disrupting chemicals in countries prior to the workshop. A summary of the outcome of the workshop is attached to the current report in Annex IV.

38. Participants attended a Technical Information Sharing Session on Wednesday 20 November featuring information on a number of the emerging policy issues and other issues of concern, including children’s environmental health. The following information documents were also presented to the meeting under this agenda item: SAICM/RM/Afr.5/INF/13 Thought Starter on endocrine disrupting pesticides and the Strategic Approach submitted by Pesticide Action Network (PAN) and International POPS Elimination Network (IPEN); SAICM/RM/Afr.5/INF/10, Information note on Highly Hazardous Pesticides submitted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO); SAICM/RM/Afr.5/INF/14, Thought Starter Paper on Highly Hazardous Pesticides submitted by PAN and IPEN; and SAICM/RM/Afr.5/INF/16, Identification of risks and exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals: practice of implementation at country level submitted by WHO.

39. In opening this agenda item, the co-chair noted the value of the technical information sessions in advancing these issues in the region and requested participants to complete the questionnaire related to EDCs, to provide comments on how the region could contribute to the implementation of work on

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EDCs to determine how to use the technical information from the information sharing session and to understand how to implement EDC issues and to consider the development of a resolution on EDCs.

40. Several participants highlighted the importance of emerging issues as a link with future work on SAICM. Drawing attention to the ambitious plans on emerging policy issues, one participant said sustainability was an important issue and there was a need to focus on how to retain or maintain partnerships and work under the SAICM umbrella.

41. The meeting adopted resolutions on highly hazardous pesticides, lead in paint and endocrine disrupting chemicals, which are attached to the current report respectively as part C, part D and part E of Annex II.

42. The meeting also adopted a resolution on strengthening SAICM as a chemicals management mechanism, which is attached to the current report in part A of Annex II.

C. 4. Implementation of and coherence between international instruments and programmes

43. Introducing the agenda item, the representative of the secretariat recalled that at its third session, the ICCM had invited the Coordinator of the SAICM secretariat and the Joint Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm convention to further increase synergies in the implementation of their respective information clearing houses. At the simultaneous extraordinary meetings of the conferences of the parties to those three conventions held in April-May 2013, an omnibus decision was adopted on enhancing cooperation and coordination among the three conventions as contained in document SAICM/RM/Afr.5/INF/8. Section V of the decision, regarding wider cooperation, requests the secretariats of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions to further enhance cooperation and coordination with SAICM to contribute to meeting the 2020 goal on the sound management of chemicals throughout their lifecycle and of hazardous wastes.

44. In the ensuing discussion, participants informed the meeting of success stories on cooperation and collaboration at the national or regional level. A few participants said that in their countries there was successful collaboration between focal points of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions as well as those of the Minamata Convention on mercury and SAICM. They were housed in the same institute, often with a coordinating mechanism, and inclusive of various sectors and stakeholders.

45. Several participants stressed that synergies was a must for the future of the chemicals and waste cluster not only in terms of saving resources but also to ensure sustainable management of the cluster. It was suggested that while there was limited amount of synergy at sub-regional and sometimes regional level more was needed at the international level. A few countries were addressing means to include sound management of chemicals and waste in national development plans and national budgets.

46. Other participants noted challenges face to coordinate and collaborate at the national level when chemicals were dealt with under different ministries or institutes. While coordination was difficult, a multi-stakeholder committee and a collaborative work programme could mitigate those difficulties. Improved communication between sectors was also considered vital to ensure cooperation and collaboration.

47. The representative of the secretariat noted that while initial collaboration with the secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions had been established to provide a technical platform for operation of the clearing house, the secretariat was expecting that new resources would be soon made available to implement the necessary action.

48. The meeting proposed to send a message to the secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions requesting that it provide support to SAICM to develop and maintain the clearing-house mechanism.

D. 5. Information exchange and scientific and technical cooperation

49. The representative of the secretariat introduced document SAICM/RM/Afr.5/INF/9 on activities of the inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals (IOMC) to support SAICM Implementation and SAICM/RM/Afr.5/INF/10 on Information from FAO on Highly Hazardous Pesticides. She noted that the technical information sharing session, held on Wednesday, 20 November had provided a forum for exchange of information, promoting an increased understanding of the technical issues associated with the sound management of chemicals.

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50. Participants noted the value of such technical information sharing sessions and stressed the importance of having information from and keeping academia informed of SAICM activities and sound management of chemicals and waste in general.

51. A summary of the Information Sharing Session is available as Annex III to the current report.

52. Furthermore, a Workshop on the internet-based IOMC Toolbox for Decision-Making in Chemicals Management (IOMC Toolbox) was hosted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) on Monday 18 November 2013. The purpose of the workshop was to familiarize the SAICM delegates from the African Region with the IOMC Toolbox.

53. The IOMC Toolbox is a problem-solving tool that supports countries to identify the most appropriate and efficient national actions to address specific national problems related to chemicals management. It also helps to identify available IOMC resources that could assist the country address the identified national problem(s) or objectives.

E. 6. Towards the 2020 Goal of Sound Chemicals Management

54. The representative of the secretariat introduced document SAICM/RM/Afr.5/6, Overall Orientation and Guidance towards the 2020 Goal of Sound Chemicals Management – Consultation Framework Document, and recalled that at its third session, the ICCM had requested the secretariat to develop overall orientation and guidance, including some concrete elements, to facilitate achievement of the 2020 goal of sound chemicals management. Such overall orientation and guidance needed to be both retrospective and prospective. It should be developed under the guidance of the Bureau, to be further discussed at regional meetings and by the Open-Ended Working Group and for possible consideration at the fourth session of the Conference.

55. The overall orientation and guidance was expected to identify the specific chemicals challenges that each region faces and include discussion about the successes and challenges of a multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral approach to chemicals management. It also would be informed by a literature review as well as by the input received from participants during the regional meetings. The Overall Orientation and Guidance process was an opportunity for SAICM stakeholders to strategically focus activities towards the 2020 goal of sound management of chemicals and to increase the level of attention placed on chemicals at the global level, particularly when it is taken up at the fourth meeting of the ICCM. In that context the representative of the secretariat also introduced document SAICM/RM/Afr.5/INF/4, Summary of the Priority Setting Workshop of the African Regional meeting on SAICM.

56. Meeting participants had attended the workshop on Achieving the 2020 Goal – Overall Orientation and Guidance, on Thursday 21 November, where they were able to discuss achievements to date and priority actions based on the consultation questions included in the annex to that document. It was expected that the final document would provide a set of recommendations on priority areas to focus on for the achievement of the 2020 goal, which will be presented to the second meeting of the SAICM Open-ended Working Group, and the fourth session of the ICCM for consideration and possible endorsement.

57. During the ensuing discussion, many participants voiced strong support for and noted the importance of the work that, they said, would demonstrate progress achieved, identify the current status and propose how to proceed to the 2020 goal and beyond. One participant linked the work on the Overall Orientation and Guidance to that of the consultative process on the challenges to and options for further enhancing cooperation and coordination within the chemicals and wastes cluster in the long term. He said both processes could inform each other and urged countries to provide input to the Overall Orientation and Guidance. He said there was a need to take stock, learn lessons from the past and move forward. Another participant suggested that looking to some “low-hanging fruit” for Africa and to aim for smaller goals for which Africa had priority and that were achievable earlier than by 2020. Those could include implementation of conventions and work on lead in paint.

F. 7. Implementation of the Health Sector Strategy

58. The representative of the secretariat introduced the agenda item and reported on two workshops on health held by WHO in Europe and in Asia where SAICM regional focal points as stakeholders were invited to participate and where the health sector strategy was on the agenda. She also noted that mindful of the importance of the health sector and its roles and responsibilities in helping to achieve

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the sound management of chemicals, the ICCM adopted at its third session, under resolution III/4, the Strategy for strengthening the engagement of the health sector in the implementation SAICM.

59. The representative of WHO made a presentation on International Health Regulations (IHR) and chemical core capacities. She said gaps in the implementation of the health sector strategy overlapped with those of the International Health Regulations. It had been recommended during the IHR workshops that health sector participants contact SAICM national focal points. She said that similarly, SAICM focal points should be proactive and contact focal point of the International Health Regulations in ministries of health to coordinate activities related to chemicals and health. She added that WHO could provide support in the form of guidance, training material and tools on risk assessment, management and communications as well as on chemical hazards.

60. In the ensuing discussion many participants stressed the importance of the SAICM health sector strategy. One participant was eager to have the full cooperation of WHO citing the need for all actors to participate in the mainstreaming of chemicals and waste management. He said there was much training material for management of chemicals in relation to health and requested WHO to convene a workshop for the African region focusing on mainstreaming health aspects within chemicals management. He also suggested that funds were available to address the burden of disease and with good management the core budget for health could also be used for chemicals management.

61. The representative of the secretariat noted that the International Health Regulations were legally binding, unlike SAICM, and were supported by the health sector. Given the requirement to develop core capacities to manage chemicals emergencies, and the interlinkages with SAICM, it would be important to liaise with of the local International Health Regulations focal points.

62. The representative of WHO was requested to make her presentation available to all participants.

G. 8. Preparations for the second meeting of the Open-ended Working Group and the fourth session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management

63. The representative of the secretariat provided a brief update on the preparations for the second meeting of the Open-ended Working Group and the fourth session of the ICCM. The current proposed dates of the two meetings were as follows: 15-18 December 2014 for the second meeting of the Open-ended Working Group to be held either in Geneva of Bangkok (to be confirmed) and 27 September to 3 October 2015 for the 4th Session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management to be held in Geneva (to be confirmed). Geneva and Bangkok were considered as fall back options for the meetings, but the secretariat was continuing actively to invite offers from host Governments. In addition, the secretariat was requesting all stakeholders in a position to do so to make their financial contributions early in support of the two meetings.

64. She recalled that the Overall Orientation and Guidance would be discussed at the second meeting of the Open-ended Working Group but called on all participants to provide any suggestions on how the meeting could be conducted.

65. One participant noted the critical timing for deciding on the future of SAICM and the end of the QSP and requested that these items be included on the agenda for the Open-ended Working Group and for the ICCM at its fourth session. He supported holding a high-level forum that would bring visibility to chemicals and waste management stating that the ICCM was a very strategic meeting that would need momentum as it moved towards the 2020 goal.

66. It was agreed that while the Open-ended Working Group would decide on the agenda of the fourth session of the ICCM, the African region could propose items they wished to see included on that agenda.

H. 9. Other matters

67. No other matters were raised.

I. 10. Adoption of the report

68. The meeting agreed to entrust the rapporteur, working with the co-chairs and the secretariat, with the finalization of the report of the meeting.

J. 11. Closure of the meeting

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69. Following the customary exchange of courtesies, the meeting was declared closed at 6.50 p.m. on Friday, 22 November.

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Annex I

Identified Regional Priorities for the African Region

Overarching Policy Strategy Objective 1: Risk Reduction

Basic element Progress to

date

Achievements Gaps Proposed Actions

a. Poison control centres (PCC), particularly in relation to an information provision role

Some countries have centres. There are 14 centres in Africa - 3 in South Africa. Feasibility study for the establishment of a network of poison control centres to serve as regional hubs of information and other services. The WHO has practical recommendations for such centres available.

Many countries do not have poison control centres (48 out of 54). There are not enough centres to serve the population. Existing centres are not always fully functional. Cooperation and information sharing is often lacking. Limited harmonization of reporting, no systematic reporting and trends analysis. Location of PCC does not always provide for effective management of incidents. Limited capacity of PCC to effectively manage incidents.

Deliver a workshop to strengthen capacity for Poison Control Centres in the region. Establish where required and operationalize existing poison centres. Promote access to poison information for the public through establishment of more PCCs. Consider including one referral PCC regionally with appropriate coordination mechanisms driving to cooperation between PCCs.

b. Integrated national / regional and sub-regional systems to prevent, prepare and respond to chemical accidents and

Establishment of national frameworks working on the prevention and response to chemical emergencies, for example Ghana has a national strategy for handling industrial accidents.

Very few countries have mechanisms in place to deal with transport incidents, lack of regional collaboration. Requirement for carrying MSDS

Streamline reporting and responses nationally and regionally, including creation of a central database. Develop integrated national / regional systems to prevent major industrial

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date


emergencies.

ECOWAS established draft guideline for handling of industrial accidents.

may not be enforced. Lack of understanding of particularly sensitive areas (biodiversity/high risk). Insufficient capacity to respond to accidents. Lack of follow-up. Poor reporting of accidents. Lack of multi-stakeholder engagement, in particular industry.

accidents and for emergency preparedness and response to all accidents and natural disasters involving chemicals. Link work to Special Rapporteur on Human Rights with respect to chemicals and wastes as well as to international health regulations and declarations.

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date


c. Harmonized pesticide registration systems

SADC region already harmonized (16 countries). SAHEL also fully functional system. Work proceeding in COMESA and Ecowas, EAC. Establishment of a new regional association of pesticides regulators, providing a forum for discussing new developments, challenges and lessons learned. Establishment of criteria for the definition of Highly Hazardous Pesticides and the search for suitable alternatives.

Not consistently implemented or operational (although present in some areas).

Establish additional harmonized registration systems and fully operationalize the existing ones.

d. National, sub-regional and regional enforcement and compliance mechanisms.

Lack of harmonized legal frameworks. Differences in capacity in institutions in different countries. Lack of political will.

Sharing information on national legislation amongst countries in the region. Convene a ministerial forum with experts to discuss harmonization.

e. National systems for management of occupational and public health chemical safety controls.

Lack of implementation and enforcement. Insufficient knowledge of protection under occupational health legislation. Legislation may not be specific

Private industry needs to engage and take ownership for occupational health.

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date


enough to deal with specific chemical issues

f. Legal Frameworks that manage the life cycle of chemicals

Nigeria has a legal framework established.

Lack of monitoring, compliance and enforcement. Limited awareness. Legal frameworks in draft, not endorsed.

Establish regional guidelines for disposal of chemicals. Develop a regional framework for all life cycle stages. Develop a mechanism for exchange of information.

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date


g. Access to alternatives to dangerous substances.

Fragmentation between government sectors, stakeholders such as industry, users and enforcement. Lack of frameworks to determine suitable alternatives.

Enforcement of all major conventions, including ILO 170. Identification of safer alternatives and sharing information. A list of alternatives and their properties is published and disseminated to assist decision-making.

h. Policies and regulations for the environmentally sound management of wastes at the national level.

Lack of infrastructure, competence, resources etc. Focus on transboundary movement – may be less emphasis on local waste or those from smaller industry.

i. Capacity to identify, assess prioritise and manage/remediate contaminated sites

The Global Alliance on Health and Pollution (GAHP) is assisting low- and middle-income countries to take concrete action to address legacy pollution and its impacts on human health, including remediation and prevention of future contamination.

Lack of a practical, risk based framework to manage contaminated sites (tendency to use standards which may not be appropriate), which must be a multi-stakeholder approach and could include a polluter pays element.

j. Chemical risk assessment through use of best practices.

Lack of guidelines and methodologies to undertake assessment. Lack of classification of chemicals, imported chemicals has foreign labels.

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Overarching Policy Strategy Objective 2: Strengthening knowledge and information


date

Achievements

Gaps

Proposed Actions

k. Development and dissemination of national chemical profiles.

QSP has supported the development and updating of national chemical profiles in many countries in the region. The chemical profiles have raised awareness and guided priority setting.

National chemical profiles for some countries are non-existent. Countries with national chemical profiles not updated to latest chemicals of concern. Inadequate platform for information exchange. Action plans often not implemented.

Develop national chemical profiles where lacking. Update national chemical profiles to include new chemicals of concern. Create/develop a platform for the exchange of information. Implement the action plans at national level.

l. Implementation of Globally Harmonized System of Classification

The QSP Trust Fund has supported five projects that are evaluating and strengthening national and regional capacities for implementing the GHS for Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, including four GHS-focused projects executed by UNITAR, in Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gambia and Zambia. Additionally, seven UNITAR QSP projects in the region include GHS components to evaluate and strengthen GHS capacity, in Benin, Cameroon, Madagascar, Mali, Seychelles, Togo, and Tunisia.

The region is at different levels of implementation capacity. Knowledge/understanding of the GHS lacking. GHS not implemented within all countries.

Assess current status of implementation in the region and develop priority regional actions. Integrate the GHS within national legal instruments and systems. Integrate the GHS within economic zone.

m. National databases and sub-regional,

Lack of knowledge and training on how to utilize existing database(s).

Strengthen the national and regional capacity to utilize existing database(s).

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Overarching Policy Strategy Objective 2: Strengthening knowledge and information


date

Achievements

Gaps

Proposed Actions

regional and international database(s) for sharing information on hazards, risks, training material, research, monitoring etc.

Central reporting and coordination of chemical incidents are lacking.

Basel/Stockholm regional centres play a more pro-active role in reporting of chemicals incidents.

n. Sharing of information, best-practice and achievement among stakeholders and between sectors.

Establishment of a local chapter of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.

i) Inadequate information sharing.

ii) Information not available for sharing and dissemination.

i) Establishment of regional/sub-regional/national multi-stakeholder forum to exchange information. Newsletter should be published as a mechanism for information sharing. Focal points should take upon themselves to share best-practices available. Source resources through collaboration, partnerships and various sources of income. ii) Incite research institutes to generate relevant information. Create scholarships/ bursaries in the field of chemical management Establish partnerships to create opportunities and pursue research.

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Overarching Policy Strategy Objectives 3 & 5: Governance / Illegal international traffic


date


o. Strong institutional systems, enforceable and applicable policies

Effective implementation of policies for the control of lead paints in some countries, including labeling, legislation on import restrictions and the destruction of lead pigments.

Lack of, or outdated or fragmented legislation. Lack of coordination between institutions Cost recovery systems Technical expertise on chemical risk assessment Laboratory capacity

Establish, where required, and strengthen existing legal frameworks that manage the lifecycle of chemicals including POPs, highly toxic pesticides, and endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) Strengthen institutional framework/systems, as well as applicable policies based on the lifecycle approach (LCA) Facilitate and promote multi-stakeholder engagement in life cycle management (LCM)

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date


p. Management of cross border and illegal traffic*

Lack of verification of the chemicals or products imported or exported. Lack of information on import and export of chemicals, products and waste. Lack of enforcement of anti-corruption laws. Lack of ability to regulate illegal traffic.

Fully participate in the EU-African network for the control of illegal traffic, and expansion to other potential sources of illegal import.

q. Multi stakeholder engagement and coordination for engagement in the life cycle management of chemicals.

Multiple stakeholders involved, specific joint projects/QSP projects performed are good tools to involve all stakeholders. Evidence more collaborative relationships between governments and industry as well as increased capacities in civil society groups on sound chemicals management issues.

Information flow/ Lack of communication Need for structured meetings and fora. Lack of cooperation between agencies Unclear mandates for government agencies. Overlap of responsibilities for different chemical groups. Insufficient involvement of NGOs in some countries– (a) not enough experience, or (b) legislation not giving NGOs the role. Engagement of non-environment actors.

Facilitate and promote multi-stakeholder engagement in life cycle management (LCM)

r. Implementation of international chemicals

Only a few countries are not Parties to Basel, Stockholm and Rotterdam Lack of implementation of Promote Ratification, Domestication and

Implementation of Chemicals and Wastes

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date


conventions

Conventions. The Bamako Convention on the Ban of the Import into Africa and the Control of Transboundary Movement and Management of Hazardous Wastes within Africa (1991) is available and supporting the region.

implementation plans. More synergies are needed at national level. Lack of ratification and implementation of certain agreements related to chemicals management.

Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) to control transboundary movement of hazardous substances, including those present in end of life electrical and electronic equipment. Implement national implementation plans.

s. Inclusion of chemicals in National Development Plans, mainstreaming

Chemicals are included in plans and strategic documents in a number of countries in the region. Zambia has seen success in integrating chemicals into development planning.

Lack of awareness of scale of the problem and cost of inaction. Lack of political will.

Evaluate the costs of inaction with respect to public resources and individuals arising from hazardous chemicals, including POPs, HHPs, EDCs, heavy metals, and nanomaterials.

Draw on lessons learned in the region to support other countries, including make available examples of integration of sound chemicals management in every sector.

t. Cost recovery policies and systems

Mining sector in some countries have an environment fund which they pay a bond into before they start activities. There is a potential for this to be expanded to cover other sectors over time. Zambia has seen success in developing cost recovery policies for chemicals.

Lack of accountability mechanisms. Lack of legislation or standards or where they exist low implementation or enforcement. Limited assessment of externalized costs.

Establish where required and strengthen existing legal frameworks that manage the lifecycle of chemicals including POPs, highly hazardous pesticides, heavy metals and endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC). Provide information in working languages.

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Overarching Policy Strategy Objective 4: Capacity building & Technical cooperation


date


u. Training programmes and activities directed at relevant stakeholders on sound management of chemicals.

University programmes and curricula available in some countries. Many online programmes by WCO, conventions secretariat, UNIDO, UNITAR, WHO. Basel Convention – training programmes for customs and environmental experts. WHO / UNEP Toxicology in the Classroom tool.

Unified programmes do not exist.

Lack of training programmes in most countries. No model training/procedure available for inspectors. Language issue, procedures and training are not available in national languages.

More specific booklets needed.

Limited national ownership.

Lack of data and human resources to perform risk assessment.

Lack of harmonized methodologies.

Support capacity building activities to train specialists. Training of health professionals to improve identification and management of chemical related effects Knowledgeable health professionals. Targeted awareness-raising for decision makers, political office holders and other stakeholders on the need for sound management of chemicals. Create educational materials for raising awareness of the general public, policy makers on toxic substances, risk management and other relevant environmental management systems.

v. National / regional /sub-regional analytical laboratory capacity for identification and monitoring of toxic substances.

Few countries have accredited labs. Research institutes not responsive to needs of society.

Establish / Strengthen analytical chemical laboratory capacity to toxic substances identification and measurement, including regional reference laboratories with international accreditation.

x. Monitoring exposure of vulnerable populations (children and women) to hazardous chemicals for early warning.

Lack of priority in institutions. Creating scientific and technical capacity for monitoring exposure of vulnerable populations to hazardous chemicals including EDCs and using appropriate biomarkers for early warning.

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y. Technology transfer and technical cooperation.

Some technical cooperation is underway, mostly bilateral.

The difficulties in formulating project proposals/documents were highlighted by participants, leading to challenges in accessing funding. The working group noted the merit o f being more strategic in the area of resource mobilization and budget. They noted that consideration should be given to the following funding approaches: institutional budgeting; providing for strengthening of chemicals in budgeting processes; incentives and disincentives; project formulation; and external funding.

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Annex II

Resolution adopted at the fifth African regional meeting on SAICM

A. Strengthening SAICM as a Chemicals Management Mechanism

The 5th African regional meeting,

Welcoming paragraphs 89 and 213–223 of the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, “The future we want”, relating to the sound management of chemicals and waste, including the reaffirmation of the aim to achieve by 2020 the sound management of chemicals throughout their lifecycle and of hazardous wastes, the call for further enhancing coordination and cooperation with other relevant actors at all levels, and the call to strengthen Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) as a chemicals management mechanism,

Welcoming further the Omnibus decision of the Extraordinary Conferences of the parties of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions, on enhancing cooperation and coordination among the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions which requests the secretariats to further enhance cooperation and coordination with the SAICM to contribute to meeting the 2020 goal on the sound management of chemicals throughout their lifecycle and of hazardous wastes and to report on progress in doing so to the conferences of the parties of those conventions in 2015, recognizing the different legal statuses of the different instruments,

Recalling UNEP Governing Council Decision 27/12 on chemicals and waste management which recognizes that the sound management of chemicals and wastes is crucial for the protection of human health and the environment and reaffirms the commitment of Governments to respond in an effective, efficient, coherent, and coordinated manner to new and emerging issues,

Noting UNEP’s Global Chemicals Outlook, which highlights the significant increase in the manufacture and use of chemicals globally, including the shift towards increased production and use in developing countries, the costs of inaction and the negative effects on humans and the environment of unsound chemicals management,

Recognizing that the challenges of sound chemicals management will continue beyond 2020 as new chemicals are added to the market and as new emerging policy issues are identified,

Affirming the necessity of continuing sound management of chemicals throughout their lifecycle beyond 2020 to protect human health and environment and to sustain and build on the achievements of SAICM,

Recognizing that SAICM is time-limited and that the Fourth International Conference on Chemicals Management in 2015 will be a critical meeting for discussing international cooperation and sound management of chemicals beyond the end of the current SAICM mandate in 2020,

Convinced that cooperation, coordination and enhancing synergies among key stakeholders at the national, regional and global levels are essential to sound chemicals management beyond 2020,

1. Requests the SAICM Bureau and Secretariat, taking into account the outcome of the Consultative Process on the Challenges to and Options for Further Enhancing Cooperation and Coordination within the Chemicals and Wastes Cluster in the Long Term, to consider establishing an ad hoc working group for the purpose of developing an options paper on the future of SAICM and intergovernmental cooperation on sound chemicals management beyond 2020 for consideration by the SAICM 2nd Open Ended Working Group meeting in 2014;

2. Requests the ad hoc working group to consider all relevant issues, including, inter alia:

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a. extending SAICM and holding future meetings of the International Conference on Chemicals Management beyond 2020;

b. considering other options for promoting sound management of chemicals beyond 2020;

c. discussing the financing of sound chemicals management including activities important for chemical safety that are not part of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions, building on the outcomes of the UNEP Executive Director’s Consultative Process on Financing Options for Chemicals and Wastes;

d. discussing how SAICM may fit into the broader Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm synergies process; and

e. discussing how the political commitment to SAICM could be strengthened among all stakeholders.

3. Requests the SAICM Bureau to consider including the future of SAICM and intergovernmental and multi-stakeholder cooperation on sound chemicals management beyond 2020 on the agenda of the fourth session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management;

4. Encourages governments and relevant stakeholders to discuss the issue of synergies and intergovernmental cooperation on sound chemicals management beyond 2020.

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B. Financing the Strategic Approach


Recognizing that attaining the 2020 goal of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) hinges on securing sustainable financial resources and that sustainable financing is a major pillar of sound chemicals management,

Recognizing also that the regional needs for chemicals management will not end in 2020, and thus the urgent need for a long-term sustainable financing solution for SAICM,

Recalling provisions of the Dubai Declaration noting the importance of mobilizing resources from public and private sectors for SAICM implementation and the outcome of the Executive Director’s Consultative Process on Financing Options for Chemicals and Wastes,

Recalling also recommendation 11 of the UNEP Global Chemicals Outlook,

Recalling also the political commitment of the African Region to SAICM under the Sirta declaration, and the commitments expressed in Libreville, particularly to achieving a balance in the allocation of national budgetary resources for international health and environment programmes,

Acknowledging with appreciation the initiatives taken by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), in particular, as well as others, to finance the SAICM Quick Start Programme,

Noting the commitment of the Quick Start Programme Executive Board to provide an average of 2.5 million US dollars per year to replenish the Quick Start Programme from 2013-2015, and the political commitment of donors to the Quick Start Programme at the third session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management,

Recognizing that the ten million US dollars earmarked to fund the chemicals and waste cluster under GEF will not meet the requirements for SAICM and other relevant projects,

Noting with concern that funds have not been made available for the execution of project activities by donors or partners and the systematic failure of the SAICM process to fund many of the projects initiated under the programme,

Deeply concerned that none of the pending Quick Start Programme projects within the African Region have yet been funded, and the present funding gap until the Special Programme 1 Projects are operationalized.

Hereby calls upon:

1. Donor countries to continue to make all efforts to mobilize existing and new, predictable, sustainable and dedicated sources of financial support to provide additional resources for the implementation of the Strategic Approach in Africa;

2. Donors to the Quick Start Programme to ensure that they meet their political commitment to such funding, as expressed at the third session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management;

3. The Executive Director of UNEP and the Director General of the World Health Organization to provide human and other resources to fully staff the SAICM secretariat consistent with the responsibilities outlined in paragraph 29 of the Overarching Policy Strategy;

4. The GEF to allocate sufficient resources to SAICM from its sixth replenishment;

5. African Governments to implement cost recovery mechanisms in national legislation to leverage sustainable financial resources for national chemicals management systems;

6. Governments of the African Region to provide greater political support and buy in to SAICM through the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) and regional bodies such as the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Economic Community of Central African States (CEMAC), regional financial institution and others;

1 Special Programme to support institutional strengthening at the national level for implementation of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, the Minamata Convention on Mercury and SAICM

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7. The private sector, including the chemicals industry, to give priority to partnerships to help provide financial, technical and in kind resources for strengthening initiatives and for developing new initiatives with stakeholders for the effective implementation of the Strategic Approach;

8. AMCEN and the World Health Assembly to request countries of the African Region to take up and expedite action at the national level for the mainstreaming of chemicals into their national development plan strategies;

9. African Governments to allocate at least 1% of their gross domestic product to chemicals management;

10. African Governments to adopt national or regional instruments to cover the cost of sound chemicals management, including economic instruments to internalize the external costs of chemicals;

11. The African regional group to look inwards for financial partners and donors such as the Africa Development Bank, West Africa Development Bank, East Africa Development Bank, endowment funds and others, to fund SAICM projects of the African Region;

12. African Governments to explore all possible options for leveraging additional sources of financing, including inter alia relevant GEF windows and health;

13. The SAICM African Core Group to study the terms of reference for the Special Programme Project, with the intention of preparing African Governments to negotiate at the 2014 United Nations Environment Assembly where those terms of reference will be considered;

14. All stakeholders to increase their contributions to the operations of the Strategic Approach;

15. Countries of the African Region to ratify the Minamata Convention on Mercury;

16. African signatories to the Minamata Convention on Mercury to start the process of accessing the proposed Implementation Fund, which was established with the intent to make 200,000 US dollars available to each qualifying signatory.

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C. Highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs)


Recognizing the potential, serious risk to human health and the environment from the use of highly hazardous pesticides through their life cycle,

Considering the recommendation of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), that governments in developing countries should speed up the withdrawal of highly hazardous pesticides from their markets,

Taking into account the FAO International Code of Conduct on Pesticide Management including, inter alia, Article 7.5,

Noting the pledge made by African countries in their national development visions to become emerging economies in the next one or two decades that will likely include intensive agriculture,

Considering the concerns of chemical exposures due to agriculture and the large number of agricultural workers in the African region,

Further considering the increase in pesticides’ use by small scale farmers in Africa and rising concerns about disposing the resulting waste,

Recalling Decision 5 of the 11th Session of the African Ministerial Conference on Environment in support of the implementation of a Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management and other chemical and hazardous waste management issues,

Recalling also the support for action on highly hazardous pesticides expressed at the third session of the International Conference on Chemical Management and the support for intersessional work on this topic,

Further recalling Decision III/2F of the International Conference on Chemicals Management at its third session recognizing endocrine disrupting chemicals as a new emerging policy issue under SAICM,

1. Invites the FAO to develop an information paper on safer alternatives to highly hazardous pesticides, including ecosystem-based approaches, which is targeted to the situation and needs of developing countries and countries with economies in transition including the African region;

2. Encourages countries in the African region to perform surveys of highly hazardous pesticides including the following elements:

a. The African Core Group, in collaboration with the SAICM Secretariat, to develop a simple questionnaire on highly hazardous pesticides for distribution to SAICM national focal points in the region;

b. SAICM national focal points to coordinate with relevant agencies to survey highly

hazardous pesticide substances registered and prohibited in their respective countries; and

c. Countries may wish to start with surveys of highly hazardous pesticides listed in World

Health Organization (WHO) Class Ia and Ib; the Rotterdam Convention Annex III and the Stockholm Convention but include other substances from lists utilizing the criteria from the FAO/WHO Joint Meeting on Pesticide Management and those which meet the definition of highly hazardous pesticides as defined in Article 2 of the 2012 FAO International Code of Conduct for Pesticide Management and other relevant international instruments;

3. Recommends that the African Core Group in collaboration with the SAICM Secretariat utilize the surveys of highly hazardous pesticides as described above to collect success stories on phase-outs, including information on alternatives and strategies for implementation;

4. Encourages the development of an on-line clearinghouse of highly hazardous pesticide registrations, restrictions, and prohibitions in the African region utilizing information from the

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highly hazardous pesticide surveys and other available updated information, in different languages of the region;

5. Invites governments, development partners, donors and organizations in a position to do so to provide financial and in-kind resources for activities on highly hazardous pesticides in developing countries and countries with economies in transition including countries in the African region.

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D. Lead in Paint The 5th African regional meeting,

Determined to implement Resolution SAICM III/2 B on lead in paint adopted at the third session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management,

Preoccupied by the fact that lead paint is presently a major source of lead exposure to vulnerable population groups in Africa,

Recognizing that children who are exposed to lead suffer lifelong impacts including decreases in intelligence, difficulties in school, increases in violent behaviour, and reductions in workforce productivity,

Noting that a recently published study estimates that costs to countries of the African Region attributed to reduced labour productivity associated with childhood lead exposure is 134.7 billion US dollars per year, which is equal to 4.03% of Africa’s total Gross Domestic Product,

Aware that there are safer alternatives to the lead compounds used in the manufacture of paints, and that unleaded paints of equivalent quality can be produced and sold at comparable prices,

Recognizing that the African countries have different economic conditions to those of highly industrialized countries and emerging economies,

Noting that UNEP has supported testing paints for lead on national markets in Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Tunisia and Cameroon, and that those tests found residential paints containing hazardous amounts of lead widely available for sale and use in those countries,

Noting further that little or no data on lead in paint is presently available for most other African countries and that resolution SAICM III/2 B of the third session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management supports the provision of technical and financial assistance wherever possible for filling information gaps on the presence or absence of lead paint on the consumer market of countries where little or no data are now available,

Invites:

1. All governments in the African Region to establish their own national regulatory frameworks to stop the manufacture, import, export, sale and use of lead paints and products coated with lead paints, and requests support to enable those governments to do this;

2. Executive Director of UNEP to consider organizing a Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paints (GAELP) regional training workshop in Africa in 2014 at which governments and non-governmental organization representatives can receive information, training and advice on how to establish national legal frameworks and programmes to eliminate the manufacture, import, export, sale and use of lead paints in their countries;

3. UNEP, GAELP, donors, non-governmental organizations, and others to support efforts to test paints on the consumer market for lead content in those African countries where little or no data are now available;

4. The SAICM African Regional Coordinating Body to establish and update a roster of government agencies in the region that have an expressed interest in securing policy, technical, financial and/or other forms of support in the development of their own national lead paint elimination programmes or projects;

5. All paint manufactures, importers and vendors to discontinue the manufacture, import, export, sale and use of lead paint in countries of the African Region;

6. Paint companies, representatives of civil society and other stakeholders in a position to do so, to cooperate in the establishment of an international programme for third-party certification and labelling of paint products to enable consumers to recognize paints that do not contain added lead.

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E. Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDC)


Recognizing the potential adverse effects of endocrine disruptors on human health and the environment and the need to protect humans, and ecosystems and their constituent parts that are especially vulnerable, as set forth in, inter alia, paragraph 14 (b) of the Overarching Policy Strategy of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM),

Recognizing also the special vulnerability of children during critical periods of development to endocrine disrupting chemicals,

Recognizing further the scarcity of information on endocrine disrupting chemicals that are found in human and wildlife tissues in the African region,

Considering the special needs that the African region may increasingly have in coping with endocrine disrupting chemicals throughout their complete lifecycle,

Considering also the costs of inaction in the African region,

Noting the concerns of chemical exposures due to agriculture, the need for further information on endocrine disrupting pesticides, and the large number of agricultural workers in the African region,

Further recalling resolution III/2 F on endocrine disrupting chemicals adopted by the International Conference on Chemical Management at its third session,

Welcoming the UNEP and World Health Organization (WHO) report, State of the Science on Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals 2012,

Welcoming the workshop on endocrine disrupting chemicals organized by the SAICM secretariat in cooperation with UNEP, WHO, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and its key objective of awareness-raising and information sharing for African countries on issues related to endocrine disrupting chemicals,

1. Invites UNEP and WHO to develop a report on endocrine disrupting chemicals with regional input that is targeted to the situation and needs of developing countries and countries with economies in transition including the African region and which includes the following elements, subject to available resources:

a. Identification of priority endocrine disrupting chemicals and sources of exposure for African countries including, inter alia, products, food and water, wastes, and pesticides;

b. Survey of bio-monitoring and other available information regarding current levels of exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals and information gaps;

c. Available sources of data on substances with endocrine disrupting properties, and

challenges faced by all stakeholders with respect to accessing and using available data;

d. Existing legislation and policies by governments and entities engaged in development finance, as well as gaps in measures, to protect human health and the environment from endocrine disrupting chemicals, especially workers, women, and children;

e. Stakeholder needs on information regarding endocrine disrupting chemicals in products

throughout their life-cycle including research carried out in the Chemicals in Products Project under SAICM;

f. Examples of best practices in reducing the use of endocrine disrupting chemicals,

including safer substitution, non-chemical alternatives and risk-management, if any; and

g. Capacity needs for reducing the risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals;

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2. Encourages the formation of a multi-stakeholder working group with representation from all United Nations regions to develop the above report aiming to make it available for the International Conference on Chemicals Management at its fourth session;

3. Recommends that a robust series of awareness-raising activities on endocrine disrupting chemicals, as referred to in resolution III/2 F, of the third session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management take place in the African region in regional languages, which include the following elements, subject to available resources:

a. Dissemination of copies or links to information relating to endocrine disrupting cheimcals submitted to the SAICM clearing house or the UNEP endocrine disrupting chemicals’ website;

b. Information on uses, scientific data and health effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals

and, if available, examples of corresponding lists of safer alternatives for these uses, including non-chemical alternatives;

c. Information on environmental contamination and human body burden of endocrine

disrupting chemicals in the African region;

d. A tool-kit of resources and guidelines for national assessment of production, import and export, use, and disposal of endocrine disrupting chemicals, including private sector obligations, with particular attention to the use and disposal phase; and

e. Collecting the above and other relevant information on endocrine disrupting chemicals in

the African region in an on-line clearinghouse;

4. Recommends the case-studies referred to in resolution III/2 F of the third session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management include five topics; pesticides, textiles, children’s products, building products, and electrical and electronic products and aiming to make the case studies available for the fourth meeting of the International Conference on Chemicals Management, subject to available resources. The case studies may address, inter alia, the following elements, utilizing well-established scientific and medical approaches for characterization:

a. Identification of potential endocrine disrupting chemicals within each topic, and the health effects to which these endocrine disrupting chemicals are linked;

b. Exposure of women and children to endocrine disrupting chemicals under each topic;

c. Gaps in existing legislation, policies, guidelines and practices that prevent adequate

regulation of, and reduced exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals; and

d. Best practices in risk management and needs assessment for substitution and regulation;

5. Encourages all stakeholders to provide all relevant available data using the SAICM clearinghouse on potential endocrine disrupting chemicals in commerce, including mixtures of substances, and to enable access to this data by stakeholders in developing countries and countries with economies in transition, while respecting confidential business information;

6. Invites governments and others in a position to do so to provide financial resources for activities on endocrine disrupting chemicals.

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Annex III

Summary of the outcome of the information-sharing workshop Chemicals in Products (CiP) programme development – update and next steps

1. UNEP provided a presentation which set out the progress to date on the Chemical in Products issue, including the initial information gathering exercise and the identification of the four priority sectors (toys, textiles, electronics and building materials). The presentation covered the complexity of the process to ensure information flow, including the length and complexity of the supply chain and decisions to be taken on the type of information to be exchanged. The presentation also covered a number of options for which chemicals would be involved in information exchange, whether it would be chemicals on restricted lists or whether it would be expanded to all intentionally added chemicals.

2. Questions raised included concerns about the availability of information and how the issue of confidential information would be handled. The need for cooperation and synergy with other activities, including current work in other forums on electronics and the work of the Global Harmonised System on Classification and Labelling were highlighted. Concerns about the need for information to be made available in an understandable format and language were raised. Another point was in regard to waste handling and recycling, and upon whom would the responsibility for the provision of information fall – should the manufacturer be responsible for providing the information directly.

3. In closing the session, UNEP introduced the need for further information, and circulated a questionnaire, with a request for the responses to be provided before the end of the meeting.

Environmentally Persistent Pharmaceutical Pollutants (EPPPs)

4. Environmentally persistent pharmaceutical pollutants (EPPPs) was presented by IWW/UBA. The session provided an overview of the current state of knowledge, including the documented ecotoxicological effects of EPPPs on the aquatic and terrestrial environment.

5. A global MEC (measured environment concentrations) database had been set up by transferring data from more than 1000 publications in order to gain more knowledge about global occurrences and distribution of EPPPs. Through this database, EPPPs have been found in more than 70 countries, often with concentrations above ecotoxicological thresholds. For Africa, 23 publications with 1200 MEC-database entries from eight countries have been found. 40 different pharmaceuticals have been detected in Africa, of which 34 have also been detected in western countries. The remaining six pharmaceuticals belonged to the hormone and antivirals groups. High average concentrations above ecotoxicological thresholds have been found in Africa for Diclofenac (Analgesic), Sulfamethoxazole (Antibiotic), and Estradiol (Estrogen).

6. The sources of EPPPs are assumed to be dominated by urban sewage mixing up with local surface waters. In addition, agriculture, hospitals, and production sites are important contributors. Several regional mitigation strategies have been presented, such as information campaigns, return programs at pharmacies, prescriptions, and the building of wastewater treatment plants.

7. Finally, the possible integration of EPPPs within the SAICM process was discussed. Extensive discussion following the presentation showed the high level of interest throughout all groups of participants. The discussion raised the illegal disposal of drugs, capacity development within African countries, bioaccumulation and half-life of drugs, ecotoxicological risk assessment, prescription methods, pharmaceutical production in Africa, UNEP initiatives concerning pharmaceutical trade and production, and pharmaceutical fingerprints. Several countries, such as Togo, also offered to send additional information/publications on national data.

Children’s Environmental Health

8. The presentation made by the WHO gave a general overview of challenges of environmental health threats in Africa describing the growing concern about the effects of

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environmental threat to children by proving the estimated children burden of diseases related to environmental health risks in particular chemicals and poisonings. It highlighted the special vulnerability of children to environmental threats emphasizing ways in which risks to children from environmental hazards are different from those of adults including the fact that children have: (i) different and sometimes unique exposures to environmental hazards compared to adults; (ii) dynamic developmental physiology and often receive higher exposures of pollutants found in air, water and food which may be handled quite differently by an immature set of systems than in adults; (iii) critical windows of vulnerability; (iv) have a longer life expectancy; and (v) no political power.

9. The presentation provided a list of important existing international commitments for actions and regional policy context, including the Libreville Declaration and the Luanda Commitment. These commitments provide an opportunity or framework for addressing children health concerns.

10. WHO initiatives focusing on children environmental health priorities include encouraging countries to prepare national profiles on CEH, training of health care providers on CEH, developing educational and awareness raising materials and production of relevant documents on the subject.

11. The speaker summarized some of the challenges, including lack of awareness and knowledge, lack of interest about the effects of chemicals and environmental hazards on children’s health, new and untested chemicals as well as data and information gaps. She concluded the presentation by proposing a number of questions: (i) how do we promote /scale up activities focusing on children environmental health priorities especially prevention of chemical threats /risks/poisoning? (ii) what are the constraints and obstacles foreseen? (iii) how can these obstacles be overcome (iv) what are the opportunities for action? (v) what should SAICM do to support CEH activities? (vi) what are the potential roles of MOH, MOE , NGO, Community?

12. In the discussion, a number of issues were raised. First, WHO works mostly work with the Ministry of Health and is not easy available /accessible for other ministry or non-health sectors in addition to the fact that there is limited intersection across ministries and division. The issue of children working in dangerous and hazardous places was raised as a serious concern, including in the electronic waste sector. In addition, the need for healthcare providers to understand detrimental effects of chemicals to children’s health was noted. Finally, the need for strong advocacy to have policy workers engaged in actions was highlighted.

Nanotechnology and manufactured nanomaterials: supporting the ICCM3 outcomes

13. This information sharing session was moderated by UNITAR with a panel of six presenters. Presenters informed the meeting about a variety of ongoing activities that contribute to achieving the SAICM objectives related to nanotechnology and manufactured nanomaterials. First, OECD outlined its work on the testing and assessment in this field. Based on the conclusions of an extensive testing programme, OECD member countries consider that the approaches used for the testing and assessment of traditional chemicals are in general appropriate for assessing the safety of nanomaterials, but may have to be adapted to the specificities of nanomaterials. UNITAR provided an overview of its programme on nano-safety, focusing on the outcomes of its latest pilot project work assisting three developing countries to develop capacities to tackle nanomaterial issues. Nigeria, as one of the countries in this project, gave an account of the results that were achieved and on how it was following up. IPEN-Ghana presented its activities and perspectives, emphasizing the importance of developing regional networks and highlighting that SAICM provides the only global forum to address nanomaterials relevant to developing countries. The South African National Institute for Occupational Health gave an overview related to its work on the human health aspects of nanomaterials. Finally, the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research then outlined its work related to nanomaterial releases to the environment.

14. In the discussion, a number of aspects were brought forward which would be important to consider for countries in addressing the safety of nanomaterials: awareness raising with industry, workers and consumers; building capacity in government, industry, trade unions, academia and civil society; availability of information on the materials, their physical-chemical and toxicological properties and exposure levels; and commitment of politicians to develop appropriate regulations to ensure the safe use of nanomaterials. One Delegate remarked that

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Africa stood in this respect at the beginning of a long march. While there is no easy way around addressing the nano issues, Africa, as the presentations from experts from Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa had demonstrated, can contribute to doing so. Finally it was highlighted that SAICM work in this field, especially in relation to awareness raising, providing networking opportunities, identifying the needs of developing countries and promoting political attention through its Resolutions, can serve as a useful starting point for national activities.

Lead in Paint

15. UNEP provided an update on the work underway on lead in paint. The presentation highlighted the steps taken since the ICCM2 resolution to include lead in paint as an emerging issue under SAICM. It provided information on the establishment of the Global Alliance on the Elimination of Lead in Paint, and the objectives and work plan agreed on by the Alliance. The key priorities for the 2012-2013 period were highlighted, and the priorities for action for 2014 to 2020 were introduced. The presentation reported on the success of the week of action, a very successful awareness raising campaign, including information on the activities undertaken in Nairobi and in Geneva.

16. The report on the levels of lead in paint in 9 countries was introduced, with the key message conveyed that where there was no regulation, there is routinely lead in paint found. The efforts of the four African countries (Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana and Tunisia) that had participated in the study were highlighted.

17. Following the presentation, a number of delegates spoke to highlight the opportunities for success on lead in paint, including the real possibility that this could be eliminated even before the 2020 goal. One person queried why there was a focus on lead in paint, and why the issue of lead in cosmetics was not being addressed. The representative from IPEN introduced the GEF project that was under development, which would expand the work on lead in paint in African countries. It is hoped that the project will be commenced early in 2014.

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Annex IV

Report from the First African awareness-raising workshop on Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 November 2013.

1. The first African awareness-raising workshop on endocrine disrupting chemicals was opened on the afternoon of Monday 18 November with introductory presentations by the UNEP secretariat. The presentations covered, in general, the scope and content of the State of the Science report, as well as the process for developing the report.

2. On Tuesday morning, Professor Susan Jobling and Professor Riana Bornman, two authors of the report, presented the technical content of the State of the Science report. They presented information on actions of hormones in the body, the mechanisms of action of endocrine disrupting chemicals, human health effects, wildlife effects and issues of exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals.

3. Following the expert presentations, there were presentations from OECD on the testing methodologies, and from a local expert who also presented on WHO activities. A presentation on the perspective from the pesticides industry was given by a representative speaking on behalf of CropLife and the NGO perspective on the scope of the problem was provided on by a representative from PAN.

4. Following the technical presentations, the meeting divided into a number of small working groups who considered the following questions:

(a) Identify the more important needs in the sub-region (information, actions etc.) (b) Discuss needs for cross-sectoral cooperation (incl. government-academia)

(c) Discuss possible cooperative activities in and among countries in the (sub-) region(s)

(d) Identify needs for international support & activities

5. In considering needs, it was identified that prioritization would be a key first step. The need for further information, and detailed awareness raising campaigns were identified. These campaigns should be targeted at a number of sectors, with the need for awareness-raising in the health sector being seen as key. The need for inventories of EDCs was also identified.

6. In looking at cross-sectoral cooperation, the need to involve all concerned ministries within the government was identified as key, as well as ensuring that other stakeholders including industry, civil society and the public. Proposals were made to consider cooperative activities between different universities.

7. The role of already established cooperative structures as a means for enhancing cooperation was highlighted by many. A number of suggestions to consider developing harmonized regulations for the region, including cross-border controls and harmonized transport legislation, which would limit the movement of EDCs. The benefits of information exchange within the region were also highlighted.

8. In looking at the question of international support, the need for financial and technical assistance to support the work of countries was highlighted as a key requirement. Other issues raised were the need to further implement the GHS programme, to look at international product stewardship, and to work towards more harmonized legislation. The need for ongoing support for the SAICM secretariat was highlighted.

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