The Secretariat of the BRS Conventions in collaboration with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), funded by the Governments of Switzerland and Germany, facilitated a chairpersons and negotiators training for participants from countries that are parties to the BRS Conventions. Roselyn Strickland, NES Environment Legal Counsel, attended on behalf of NES and the Cook Islands.
The BRS Conventions refer to three main conventions: Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm. Collectively, the conventions address the movement and disposal of transboundary waste (Basel), trade and sound management of hazardous chemicals (Rotterdam) and to eliminate or restrict the production and use of persistent organic pollutants (Stockholm).
The training was held in Geneva, Switzerland, from the 6– 8 February 2023, with an aim of providing participants from countries with the necessary training to becoming potential negotiators and chairs of BRS Conference of Parties (BRS) meetings including working groups. About twenty participants from the four regions (Asia Pacific, Africa, Latin America and Europe) attended the training. Roselyn was the only representative from the Pacific region. This training is essential as it also has a direct link for capacity building for parties in implementing the respective Conventions.
According to Roselyn, the training was delivered via an online component and face- to-face simulations. She further added that the training provided participants an opportunity to receive the necessary negotiation skills prior to the upcoming BRS COP Preparatory Meeting in Bangkok this month, as well as the forthcoming BRS COP Meetings in Geneva in May 2023.
