Basel Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for Arab States in Egypt (BCRC-Egypt)

Transcription

1 Basel Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for Arab States in Egypt (BCRC-Egypt) PART 1: THE ACTIVITY REPORTS Regional centre submitting the report: Basel Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer (BCRC-Egypt) Name of the person submitting the report: Prof. Mostafa H. Kamel, Director Designation: Basel Convention Regional Canter - Egypt (BCRC-Egypt) Date: Dec Reporting period From: Jan to Dec Business Plan and the Activity Reports A. Governance: 1. Date of signature of the Framework Agreement: 24 th.october Legal status of the Centre: The BCRC-Egypt came into official existence following the approval of the Egyptian Peoples' Assembly on the 22/5/2005 to the Presidential decree number 81/2005 which approves the framework agreement signed between the Egyptian Government (represented by Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency, EEAA) and the Secretariat of the Basel Convention (SBC) in 24 th.october This agreement came into force on the 22 nd.june 2005 (Egyptian Parliament Approval, 2005). The framework set forth the terms and conditions under which an institution in the Arab Republic of Egypt shall act as a Basel Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer pursuant to the relevant provisions of the Basel Convention and related decisions of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention. The Centre, acting through the Cairo University Centre for Environmental Hazard Mitigation, is having the capacity, in accordance with the national laws and regulations of the Arab Republic of Egypt: To contract; To acquire and dispose of movable and immovable property; To institute legal proceedings. Also, according to the framework agreement; the activities of the Centre relevant to its regional role shall be carried out under the general guidance and in close coordination with the Secretariat, and a Steering Committee is established to advise the Centre on the development and implementation of the activities of the Centre relevant to its regional role and to enhance national support to its activities from the Parties served by the Centre. 3. Appointment of the Director in coordination with the Secretariat: Prof. Dr. Mostafa Hussein Kamel Ahmad Mostafa Cairo University, Giza P.O.Box 453 Al Orman Postal Code: Giza Egypt Telephone/Fax/ Tel: (+202) /8 Fax: (+202) Website: 1

2 4. Bank account: Bank Account Name: Basel Convention Regional Centre (BCRC-Egypt) Bank Account Number: SWIFT CODE: NBEGEGCX Designation of National Authority: The Egyptian Ministry for Environmental Affairs (EMSEA) and the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (EMFA), are acting as the host country competent authorities to mobilize and coordinate the national inputs into the Centre. The Centre works closely with the League of Arab States and accordingly with the Council of Ministries of Environment of the Arab States and it s subsidiary bodies as well. The Egyptian Basel Convention focal point hosted in the EMSEA is closely linked with the BCRC-Egypt and mediated the availability of financial support from the host country government including Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs. The BCRC Egypt is also fully politically supported by the Egyptian Ministry of foreign Affairs and League of Arab States (LAS), the Headquarters of which is located also in Cairo. This further strengthens the Centre regionally, as LAS is the most effective channel for driving policy development in the Arab region. 6. Steering Committee (composition and meetings): The BCRC-Egypt structure includes a Steering Committee of the Centre (SCC) of 4 rotating members (currently Algeria, Jordan, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates) and the host country (Egypt) as a permanent member, and the representative of the Secretariat of the Basel Convention. The League of Arab States is also invited to nominate a representative. The Steering committee meets at the beginning of each calendar year to endorse the year plan and review the progress achieved. Through the report period the steering committee faced a challenge to meet either in 2011 or 2012 due to the circumstances and political situation in the region, however, the BCRC-Egypt has used the LAS panel throughout the regular meetings of the Council of the Arab Minister of Environment and it is subsidiary bodies to disseminate and promote the BCRC-Egypt business plan. B. Cooperation with the Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, including Joint activities Complying with the decision VIII/8 of the Conference to the Parties of the Basel Convention in regard to the cooperation and coordination among the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions, it is important to highlight that BCRC Egypt has been involved in the implementation of activities with other MEAs Secretariats in addition to working with the CP/RAC of Barcelona. These activities include the participation in regional workshops coordinated by other conventions and the organization of a regional workshop in cooperation with other Secretariats. At the regional level BCRC-Egypt is an active participant in all meetings convened by the league of Arab States/Arab team following up with the implementation of MEAs and in the Arab SAICM coordination meetings. Cooperation with other Stockholm Convention regional and subregional centres (SCRCs): None Projects documents Project reports Exchange of information * Exchange of publications * Exchange of expertise Other : regional workshops, technical guidelines, translations of documents, awareness material, legislative documents and pilot projects (*) During the entire report period there was a lack of communication between BCRC-Egypt and other SCRC due to political situation in the region, however, BCRC-Egypt has initiated and exploring with SCRC-Kuwait a package of links of cooperation and coordination among the activities of the two centres. C. Public-private partnership activities (optional) The possibility to expand the functions of the Centre in order to promote the integration of ESM of hazardous wastes in public-private partnerships is relatively low because of the lack of culture and information on publicprivate processes. 2

3 Nevertheless, the Centre has been participating in activities in order to work with the private sector with small and medium companies. In addition BCRC-Egypt will develop activities in the framework of the Partnerships for Action on Computers and Equipments (PACE). D. Regional needs 1. Baseline information on the current status of implementation of the Basel Convention in the region: BCRC-Egypt through the regional meetings of the Council of Arab Minister of Environment, providing in close cooperation with the host country representatives, a brief report about the status of the overall directions and approaches, including, COP decisions, and SBC communications requesting information from the Parties. Parallel to that and in order to ensure efficient implementation of the convention, BCRC-Egypt request from the countries served by the canter a brief report on the current status of implementation. BCRC-Egypt has received some of these report and work with countries those not summiting such report in order to explore where is the challenge is. 2. Coordination with the Secretariat on assistance to Parties in designating focal points and competent authorities of the Basel Convention in the region: Number of focal points updated Number of competent authorities updated BCRC-Egypt is stressing such sort of coordination in order to overcome the communication difficulties. 3. Assistance provided to strengthen regional coordination between countries served by the BCRC: None Little regional coordination in place * Some regional coordination in place Good regional coordination in place, However the BCRC-Egypt still work hardly to overcome the difficulties arising from miss- communication with the countries served by the canter E. Financial information and resources 1) Total annual budget. Please include the whole in-kind support from the host government (tax net) Less than US$ US$ < US$ US$ < US$ US$ < US$ More than US$ During the report period the host government was strongly preserved its kind contributions to the canter which include among others, the assets of the center (building, offices, equipment) and the staff salary including the director of the centre, in addition to the operation cost of the mentioned assets. 2) Percentage of the total budget spent on the BCRC operation (facilities, staff, equipments, etc) Less than 20% 20% < 50% 50% < 75% More than 75% 3) Current BCRC un-earmarked reserves: Less than US$ US$ < US$

4 US$ < US$ More than US$ ) Level of host country support, both in-kind (salaries, facilities, IT, office supplies, accounting services, HRD services etc.) and for additional expenses including national and international travel and subsistence? In 2011 (US$ ) In 2012 (US$ ) 5) Support by the countries in the region: None In kind contribution of...country(ies) for a specific project In kind contribution of. country(ies) to the BCRC Financial support of...country(ies) for a specific project (amounts pledged US$ and received US$ ) Financial support of...country(ies) to the BCRC (amounts pledged US$ and received US$ ) Unfortunately none, BCRC-Egypt is working hardly at the political panel to argue countries served by the canter to contribute. 6) Support by third countries: None Financial support of...country(ies) to the BCRC (amounts pledged US$ and received US$ ) In kind contribution of. country(ies) to the BCRC Financial support of...country(ies) for a specific project (amounts pledged US$ and received US$ ) In kind contribution of...country(ies) for a specific project Recently BCRC-Egypt receives a good well from a country in the region to take part at the steering committee as observer to see the kind of support they can provide. 7) Main donors (please mark more than one if necessary): Host country Countries serviced by the Centre Bilateral aid ( from ) International organizations (other than the Secretariat) * Private (through partnership) Private (through donation) 8) How much financial supports were obtained through the Secretariat? None * Less than US$ US$ < US$ US$ < US$ US$ < US$ More than US$ ) Additional financial matters: Do you prepare a cash flow? YES Do you prepare an income projection through the year? NOT YET 4

5 F. List of the projects/activities undertaken during the reporting period BCRC-Egypt has facing a hard time during the period of the report due to political situation either in the host country or in the whole region, however it was a good time used in preparing a very ambitious plan, which has been consulted with a sort of voluntary expertise. And pre-promoted at the political level using the Arab League panel. The plan marketed and negotiated with all related partners and stakeholders including donors. The Government of Finland is kindly secured fund for such business plan. UNDP-Egypt together with BCRC-Egypt are closely undertaking the implementation of the plan. A project manager post has been advertised on the BCRC-Egypt and UNDP websit s according hiring procedures of the UNDP. A several application from the region has been received. A selection panel has been established to select the appropriate candidate. PART 2 A: ACTIVITIES/ PROJECTS REPORTS SUMMARY (Please provide one page summary for each of the completed activities/ projects) Project no. / Project name: Project duration (in months): Start and end dates: - -/- -/ to - -/- -/ Beneficiary Parties: Performance of the core functions of the Basel Convention regional and coordinating centres identified in appendices I and II to decision VI/3 of the Conference of the Parties (refer to the core functions mentioned in the Annex) Total project budget (in US$): List the funding sources and the corresponding amounts: 1... US$ US$ US$... Please provide a brief summary on the project activities and the outcomes in quantifiable terms in the space given below: 5

6 - The activity was a sort of capacity building package within the enforcement component of the Africa e-waste project funded by EU. - The project targeted 5 Western African countries plus Egypt and Tunisia in which they are benefit from the enforcement component of the project. - BCRC-Egypt was assigned by the coordinating BCRC of Africa located in Nigeria to prepare a capacity building workshop for the Ports and customs officers. - The training module including materials and manuals was prepared in close cooperation between BCRC-Egypt and the secretariat of European Agency for Monitoring the Implementation and Enforcement of Environment law (IMPEL). - BCRC-Egypt has translated all the training material to Arabic. - The work shop attended by more than 50 port officers and custom employees from all Egyptian ports. 6

7 Annex Performance of the core functions of the Basel Convention regional and coordinating centres identified in appendices I and II to decision VI/3 of the Conference of the Parties 1. Training (Developing and conducting training programmes, workshops, seminars and associated projects in the field of the environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes, transfer of environmentally sound technology and minimization of the generation of hazardous wastes, with specific emphasis on training of trainers and the promotion of ratification and implementation of the Convention and its instruments). 2. Technology transfer (Identifying, developing and strengthening mechanisms for the transfer of technology in the field of environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes or their minimization in the region). 3. Information (Collecting information on new or proven environmentally sound technologies and know-how relating to environmentally sound management and minimization of the generation of hazardous wastes and other wastes and disseminating these to Parties of the region at their request; establishing and maintaining regular exchange of information relevant to the provisions of the Basel Convention, and networking at the national and regional levels; organizing meetings, symposiums and missions in the field, useful for carrying out these objectives in the region). 4. Consulting (Providing assistance and advice to the Parties and non-parties of the region at their request, on matters relevant to the environmentally sound management or minimization of hazardous wastes, the implementation of the provisions of the Basel Convention and other related matters). 5. Awareness-raising (Promoting public awareness). 6 Environmentally sound management and minimization of the generation of hazardous wastes (Encouraging the best approaches, practices and methodologies for environmentally sound management and minimization of the generation of hazardous wastes and other wastes, for example, through case studies and pilot projects). 7. Cooperation (Cooperating with the United Nations and its bodies, in particular the United Nations Environment Programme and the specialized agencies, and with other relevant intergovernmental organizations, industry and non-governmental organizations, and, where appropriate, with any other institution, in order to coordinate activities and develop and implement joint projects related to the provisions of the Basel Convention and develop synergies where appropriate with other multilateral environmental agreements). 8. Financial strategy (Developing, within the general financial strategy approved by the Parties, the Centres' own strategy for financial sustainability). 9. Cooperating in mobilization of human, financial and material means in order to meet the urgent needs at the request of the Party(ies) of the region faced with incidents or accidents which cannot be solved with the means of the individual Party(ies) concerned (if relevant). 10. Performing any other functions assigned to it by the decisions of the Conference of the Parties of the Basel Convention or by Parties of the region consistent with such decisions. 7

8 BCRC-Egypt with support from the SBC and the Finland government has been working actively since 2006 implementing more than 25 workshops and 15 pilot projects in Egypt and in selected member countries of the region based upon the needs and collaboration with the center, and putting into consideration priorities of the Basel Convention Strategic Plan However, activities with focus on institutional capacity building for the Basel Convention competent authorities/focal points in the region have been also implemented. (see attachment) Among the basic activities implemented were Reviewing Hazardous Waste National legislations in member countries, training on strategic planning for hazardous wastes management, training on recycling of used oils, on e-waste management, on conducting national hazardous wastes inventories and on other core issues connected with the implementation of the Basel convention and its strategic plan. On the other hand BCRC-Egypt developed/adapted guidelines addressing the priority needs in the region, such Guidelines on Hazardous wastes Land filling in hyper dry areas, rerefine and reuse of waste mineral oil, on conducting national inventories of hazardous wastes, and guidelines on liquid hazardous wastes management (see attachment). Many workshop and training activities were followed with pilot activities to consolidate the experience and to demonstrate lessons learned. All these contributed to the improvement of qualifications and awareness hazardous wastes competent authorities in the region and among specialists and people, fostering of partnership with industry and business on the environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes. Improving the performance of the BCRC-Egypt is directly linked with building the capacities of the member countries to understand hazardous wastes and their impacts and in exposing these member countries to opportunities to improve their hazardous waste management systems through cooperation with the center. BCRC Egypt has been involved in the implementation of activities with other MEAs Secretariats. These activities include the participation in regional workshops coordinated by other conventions and the organization of a regional workshop in cooperation with other Secretariats. At the regional level BCRC-Egypt is an active participant in all meetings convened by the league of Arab States/Arab team following up with the implementation of MEAs and in the Arab SAICM coordination meetings. BCRC-Egypt is looking forward to increasing the cooperation with all MEAs secretariats and with other coordination centers. Throughout its work since 2005, BCRC-Egypt established partnership with several regional and international organizations, and kept all interested and affected parties informed with the BCRC- Egypt activities and interest through its web site and through the newsletter published biannually. Among most important partnerships is the partnership with UNEP/ROWA and UNEP/MAP for developing the regional strategy and action plan for combating illegal trade in waste and chemicals controlled by international conventions. Training, workshops, projects are attached in a separate file including all activities of the centre from