Background
The Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention adopted decisions RC-6/11 and RC-7/7 on technical assistance which include a programme of training activities on the development of National Action Plans (NAPs) for the implementation of the convention.
The secretariat offers training to support new Parties to enact the implementation of the Convention at the national level through the development of a plan of actions agreed among national key stakeholders: the NAP. The training on the development of the NAP consists of a systematic review of national institutions managing chemicals as well as policies and practices by a range of national stakeholders involved in the general management of chemicals.
Stakeholders from the ministries of agriculture, health, environment, industry, commerce, custom authorities, the private sector as well as NGOs are invited to contribute to the NAP. The role of the new DNA is introduced to relevant national stakeholders. The outcome of the training is a National Action Plan for the implementation Rotterdam Convention that will set the objectives and the strategies for the years to come.
As a follow up to the drafting of the NAP, the Secretariat offers regional and sub regional forums to Designated National Authorities (DNAs), where the DNAs continue to receive training and tailor made support to improve the implementation of the Rotterdam Convention. In particular, DNAs are guided to review progress in the implementation of the Convention, to update their NAP, and identify common problems. The programme promotes cooperation and the sharing of experiences to find solutions through projects at the regional and national levels.
Objectives
The objectives of the programme are to build capacity at the national level to facilitate and assist national planning for the implementation of obligations under the Rotterdam Convention and to:
- Train new DNAs in order to enact the implementation of the Rotterdam Convention at the national level;
- Enhance the submission of import responses on chemicals listed in Annex III of the Convention;
- Enhance the submissions of notifications of final regulatory action;
- Offer continuous training and support to the DNAs.