14-16 May, 2024, BCCC-Africa was in Abuja for the Sub-regional Workshop to Strengthen the Implementation of the Rotterdam Convention (RC).

The overarching objective of the workshop was to strengthen the capacities of Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and The Gambia to implement the RC and to fully comply with its provisions. 

the workshop aimed to achieve the following:

• Improve understanding of the RC and its objectives, including to familiarize participants with the role and responsibilities of the DNA and relevant provisions and procedures under the Convention, such as FRAs, the PIC procedure, IRs, etc.
• Gain an improved understanding of where each Party stands in implementing the RC, including ongoing initiatives (such as of legal nature) and remaining challenges (e.g. missing IRs), thus facilitating the provision of further targeted technical assistance in the follow-up to the workshop.
• Exchange information, experiences and lessons learned among Parties with regard to risk assessment, evaluation and management of industrial chemicals and pesticides at the national level.
• Strengthen strategic action and national coordination mechanisms to fully implement the RC, including via the development of NAPs/updating of existing NAPs.

In order to achieve these goals, the workshop featured a mix of presentations, working groups and peer-to-peer exchanges of insights and lessons learned. It was structured across the following sessions:

1. The Rotterdam Convention
2. National situations and challenges
3. Risk evaluation, chemicals management and FRAs
4. IRs and FRAs
5. NAPs

Participants:

The workshop brought together stakeholders with a role in chemicals management:

• Designated National Authorities (DNAs) and other relevant government representatives of Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and The Gambia. The respective DNAs for industrial chemicals and pesticides were invited to attend the workshop. The DNAs were encouraged to ensure, as appropriate considering national institutional structures, adequate representation of the relevant Ministries responsible for the management of industrial chemicals and pesticides at the national level, which often includes the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Health. The DNAs are also encouraged to ensure participation and/or input of relevant legal officers, as appropriate.
• Staff of  BCCC-Nigeria.
• Representatives of the BRS Secretariat and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
• Remotely: United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), International Labour Organization (ILO); representative(s) of the European Union (EU) and/or the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).