Africa

Regional meetings

• African Core Group meeting, Cairo, Egypt, 13-15 June 2006
• African regional meeting on SAICM, Cairo, Egypt, 11-14 September 2006
• 29 October 2006 Arab Core Group meeting on SAICM
• Arab sub-regional meeting, Cairo, Egypt, 1-2 April 2007
• 2nd African regional meeting, Dar e Salaam, Tanzania, United Republic Of, 14-19 July 2008
• Meeting of the Africa Core Group (ACG) on the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), Nairobi, Kenya, 20-21 August 2009
• Fifth meeting of the African Core Group on SAICM, Abidjan, Cote D'ivoire, 24-27 January 2010
• African regional meeting on SAICM, workshops on nanotechnology and industrial chemicals, Abidjan, Cote D'ivoire, 25-29 January 2010

Regional coordination arrangements

The SAICM regional focal point for Africa is Mr. David Kapindula (Zambia). The region is represented by the Governments of Burundi and Nigeria on the Executive Board of the SAICM Quick Start Programme (QSP). Terms of reference for the regional focal point and representatives on the QSP Executive Board were agreed at the region’s first meeting, held in Cairo from 11 to 14 September 2006. 

The African Core Group, which had previously operated during the development of SAICM was reconvened in Cairo from 13-15 June 2006 in advance of the first African regional meeting on SAICM, where it was formalized with an agreed membership structure and terms of reference. The Group has developed a work plan, held a series of teleconference and met for the second time in Dar-es-Salaam on 13 July 2008.

In addition, the Arab countries, which span the African and the Asia-Pacific regions, established an Arab Core Group at a meeting of the Arab Technical Team for Multilateral Environment Agreements Relevant to the Management of Hazardous Chemicals and Wastes held in Cairo from 16 to 18 September 2006. The members of the Group met in Alexandria, Egypt, on 29 October 2006. Terms of reference for the Group were endorsed at the meeting of Arab countries held in Cairo, Egypt, on 1 and 2 April 2007, where the Group was renamed the Arab Coordination Unit.

Regional QSP projects

Stakeholders in the region are participating in the SAICM QSP projects.