The third Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) regional meeting on the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) met in Panama City, Panama, on Thursday, 2 June and Friday, 3 June 2011. The meeting was requested by participants attending the second LAC regional meeting, held in March 2010, to prepare for the first meeting of the SAICM Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) scheduled for November 2011. The OEWG is a subsidiary body of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM) tasked with considering the implementation, development and enhancement of SAICM between Conferences, and with preparing draft decisions or resolutions for possible adoption by the Conference.

The third LAC regional meeting included 46 participants from 21 countries representing government and academia, as well as representatives of UN agencies, regional and subregional entities and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). On Thursday, participants discussed preparations for the first OEWG, proposals for new additions to the Global Plan of Action, health issues, emerging policy issues and financial and technical resources for implementation. On Friday, participants discussed the regional implementation plan, relations with the chemical and waste conventions, information exchange and scientific and technical cooperation, the SAICM Information Clearinghouse, Secretariat activities and budget, and preparations for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD or “Rio+20”). Five resolutions were adopted on: financing SAICM implementation; the health sector strategy; lead in paint; nanotechnology and manufactured nanomaterials; and hazardous substances within the lifecycle of electrical and electronic products. More information.