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OPENING SESSION: | ||
INC-8 Chair Maria Celina de Azevedo Rodrigues (Brazil) (left) welcomed delegates and introduced David Harcharik, FAO Deputy Director-General (below). He said that as crop production intensifies, new demands are being placed on the agriculture sector to contribute to,inter alia, protection of biodiversity and the environment, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Opening address of David Harcharik, FAO Deputy-Director General |
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Shafqat Kakakhel, UNEP Deputy Executive Director (left), stated that as part of consultations regarding international environmental governance, UNEP has been called upon to investigate possible approaches to clustering chemicals-related conventions with a view to enhancing cooperation, effectiveness and efficiency. Opening address of Shafqat Kakakhel, UNEP Deputy Executive Secretary |
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ACTIVITIES
OF THE SECRETARIAT: |
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Jim Willis, Director, UNEP Chemicals (left), outlined activities of the Secretariat and the situation regarding extrabudgetary funds (UNEP/FAO/PIC/INC.8/2 and INF/8), and welcomed comments and guidance to improve openness, transparency and accountability regarding budgetary matters. |
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Mohamed el Zarka (EGYPT) (left) requested a workshop for Arabic-speaking countries. |
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The EU said prioritizing would reduce work in other areas, and said another Euros 100,000 would be made available next year. Right photo: Klaus Berend of the EU during this morning's opening session. |
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Lucienne Tsilavirany (MADAGASCAR) (right) and MALI emphasized the workshops' importance in strengthening skills and addressing specific problems. |
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IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INTERIM PIC PROCEDURE: | ||
STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION: Gerold Wyrwal, FAO, discussed the status of implementation of the interim PIC procedure (UNEP/FAO/PIC/INC.8/3 and INF/9), advising that: 195 Parties had nominated 265 designated national authorities, while 27 had not yet done so; there are three new chemicals for which notifications of final regulatory actions have been received by two PIC regions (DNOC, Dinoterb and Asbestos), and which are scheduled for consideration by the next session of the ICRC; and two proposals for severely hazardous pesticide formulations have been received by the Secretariat from Senegal (Granox TBC and Spinox T). | ||
CONFIRMATION OF EXPERTS DESIGNATED FOR THE ICRC: Niek van der Graaff, FAO (left), announced that one of the ICRC experts had resigned after INC-7, and that a new expert from Australia, representing the Southwest Pacific region, has been acting as an interim member of the ICRC. The INC confirmed his nomination. |
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PRESENTATION OF ICRC-2 REPORT: ICRC Chair Reiner Arndt (Germany) (left) then presented the report of ICRC-2 (UNEP/FAO/PIC/INC.8/5). He said the ICRC recommended that the pesticide monocrotophos be subject to the interim PIC procedure, and advised that the ICRC would develop decision guidance document and a recommendation would be made to the INC to include it in the PIC procedure. |
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PRESENTIONS
TO HOST THE PERMANENT SECRETARIAT
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Swiss and Italian Presentation: | ||
Switzerland
and Italy then made a joint offer to host the permanent Secretariat,
reiterating that this would build on existing successful structures, and
ensure synergies, efficiency, cost effectiveness and convenience.
Switzerland then drew attention to the presence of the Basel Convention
Secretariat's presence in Geneva, and said that locating the Secretariat
in Rome and Geneva was based on necessity, not on political
considerations. Left photo L-R: Beat Nobs (Switzerland) and Paolo Ducci
(Italy) Summary of the joint Swiss and Italian offer to host the PIC Secreatariat in Geneva and Rome. |
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