The Government of the Republic of Uganda and the OPCW co-hosted the Sixth Regional Meeting of African National Authorities in Kampala, Uganda, from 11 to 13 November 2008. The meeting was attended by 61 participants from 26 States Parties.
In her opening remarks, Mrs. Syda Bbhumba, Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development of Uganda, said that sharing experiences is one of the primary objectives of the regional National Authority meetings, as it allows those involved in the day-to-day implemention of the Convention an opportunity to overcome the challenges they face by benchmarking the best practices utilised elsewhere on the continent.
H.E. Ambassador Abuelgasem Idris, Chairman of the Conference of the States Parties and Permanent Representative of Sudan to the OPCW, noted that Africa has a significant and rapidly expanding chemical industry which makes a significant contribution to the global trade in Scheduled chemicals and requires National Authorities of States Parties in Africa to have the necessary legal measures and enforcement authority to function effectively.
The regional meeting serves as a forum for States Parties in the region to exchange information, present their needs for assistance, and indicate which forms of assistance they can offer to other States Parties. Issues relating to implementation of the Convention – in particular, the regional trade in Scheduled chemicals and common problems in reporting imports and exports – as well as progress regarding solutions are also discussed.
OPCW News 40 /2008