Background: Face-to-face sub-regional workshop is being organized for English-speaking countries in West Africa to raise awareness on and support efforts to establish legal and institutional frameworks and international trade control measures under the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, as well as enforcement, prevention and combatting of illegal traffic and trade in hazardous chemicals and wastes. Representatives of Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leon are expected to attend the workshop which is being held from 17 to 18 November 2022 in Lagos, Nigeria with the generous support of the European Union.
Organizers: The workshop is jointly organized by the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) conventions and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) with support from the Basel Convention Coordinating Centre for Capacity Building and Technology Transfer for the African Region (BCCC-Nigeria).
Working language: English
Meeting objectives: The objectives of the workshop include strengthening the capacities of officials responsible for the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions; representatives of BRS Conventions’ Parties from Ministries of Justice including prosecutors; customs and border control officers; with a view to strengthening national legislative frameworks to promote the effective control of transboundary movement of waste, and build capacity to prevent cases of illegal traffic and trade of hazardous chemicals and waste.
Target audience: The training will target designated contacts of the Parties to the Conventions (official contact points, focal points, designated national authorities, national focal points and competent authorities), customs, environmental inspectorate, police and other enforcement officials responsible for trade control of movements of hazardous chemicals and wastes, as well as decision makers involved in the development, drafting, approval, review and updating of legislation and other measures in West Africa. Partner organizations such as the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will also participate in the regional training workshop.