Summary
The seventh session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Prepare a Global Legally Binding Instrument on Mercury (INC7) opened Thursday and is scheduled to conclude on Tuesday, March 15 at the Dead Sea, Jordan. Plenary convened in the morning for the opening of the meeting, which included welcome addresses by Ibrahim Thiaw, Deputy Director of the UN Environment Programme, and Taher Shakhashir, Minister of Environment, Jordan, who was speaking on behalf of King Abdullah II. Delegates reconvened in plenary in the afternoon to continue work on the substantive items on its agenda, including hearing opening statements from regions and countries. In the evening, delegates attended a reception hosted by the Government of Jordan.
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, is providing daily web coverage, daily reports and a summary and analysis report from the 7th session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Mercury (INC 7).
The summary and analysis report is available in HTML and PDF formats.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth
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Opening Ceremony
Delegates gather for the opening ceremony
Jacob Duer, interim secretariat of the Minamata Convention
Fernando Lugris, Uruguay, INC Chair
Taher Shakhashir, Minister of Environment, Jordan
Ibrahim Thiaw, UNEP Deputy Executive Director
Jordanian dancers perform a traditional dance to open the meeting
Jordanian youth recite a pledge to protect the environment
Side Events
Side event discussing the Jordan Dead Sea industries, hosted by the Government of Jordan
Side event 'Gearing up for implementation - what are the first steps?' hosted by the Global Environment Facility (GEF)
Afternoon Plenary
L-R: Masa Nagai, UNEP; Jacob Duer, intermin secretariat of the Minamata Convention; Fernando Lugris, Uruguay, INC Chair; Sheila Logan, interim secretariat of the Minamata Convention; Nina Cromnier, Sweden, Rapporteur; and Andrea Lechner, BRS Secretariat
Mohammed Khashashneh, Jordan,
speaking on behalf of the Arab Group
Reginald Hernaus, EU
Agustina Camilli, Uruguay, speaking
on behalf of the Latin American
and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Mick Saito, Japan, speaking on behalf
of the Asia-Pacific Region
David Kapindula, Zambia, speaking on behalf of the African Group
Vladimir Lenev, Russian Federation, speaking on behalf of the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) Group
Franz Perrez, Switzerland
Zhao Wei Jun, China
Kasimu Bayero, Nigeria
Juan Miguel Cuna, the Philippines
Sezaneh Seymour, US
Luay Al Mukhtar, Iraq
Tuti Hendrawati Mintarsih, Indonesia
Around the Venue
Delegates gather before the start of plenary
Fernando Lugris, Uruguay, INC Chair; Ibrahim Thiaw, UNEP Deputy Executive Director; and Taher Shakhashir,
Minister of Environment, Jordan
Mohammed Khashashneh, Jordan,
welcomes delegates to the meeting
Delegates from Brazil
The youngest delegate attending the meeting
A delegate reads the Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) website
Delegates from China review a document
Delegates gather informally before the start of plenary
Artifacts from Jordan on display around the venue
Reception Hosted by the Government of Jordan
Delegates gather for the reception hosted by the Government of Jordan
Taher Shakhashir, Minister of Environment, Jordan, and
Ibrahim Thiaw, UNEP Deputy Executive Director
Delegates from Saudi Arabia
Delegates throughout the evening
