Above photo from left to right: Leonard Good (the GEF); Bruno Oberle (Swiss Environmental Agency, Switzerland); Shafqat Kakahel (UNEP); Fernando Lugris (Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Uruguay); Therese Yarde (Barbados); John Whitelaw (Executive Secretary, Stockholm Convention); David Ogden (Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention); Masa Nagai (Legal Advisor).

Leonard Good (Chairman of the GEF) called for integration of national chemicals programmes and mainstreaming of chemicals management in national development strategies.

Bruno Oberle (Swiss Environmental Agency, Switzerland) called for integration of national chemicals programmes and mainstreaming of chemicals management in national development strategies.

Fernando Lugris (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Uruguay) spoke on behalf of Mariano Arana, Uruguay's Minister of Housing, Territorial Planning and Environment.

Delegates elected Nicholas Kiddle (New Zealand) as President of COP-2.

John Whitelaw (Acting Executive Secretary, Stockholm Convention), reported on the activities undertaken by the Secretariat.

Thomas Jakl (Austria, on behalf of the EU) called for the inclusion of further substances in the list of POPs, announcing that details of three proposed additions to the relevant annexes would be provided before the next meeting of the POP Review Committee.

Francis Njuguna Kihumba (Kenya, on behalf of the Africa Group) reported that many countries in Africa are developing their NIPs, and noted that the completion of the SAICM process will facilitate the process of information exchange on POPs.

Raphael Zadi Dakomi (Côte d'Ivoire) along with representatives from the PHILIPPINES, MOROCCO, EGYPT and KUWAIT called for renewed technical and scientific assistance to enable developing countries to carry out their Convention obligations.

Kadiatou Ndiaye (Republic of Guinea) highlighted problems with controlling illegal transboundary movement of pesticides and lack of awareness of risks of exposure to dangerous pesticides.

Ellen J. Tynan (World Bank), highlighted activities carried out by the World Bank in the five world regions to assist developing countries to implement the Convention.

Mariann Lloyd-Smith (International POPs Elimination Network) said that a non-compliance procedure should recognize the linkage between compliance and availability of financial resources.

Mohamed Eisa (United Nations Industrial Development Organization) reported on work with the private sector and industry on the introduction of best available techniques and best environmental practices to eliminate and reduce the use of POPs.

Suely M. Carvalho (United Nations Development Programme) stated that the sustainability of results relies on synergies and harmonization of efforts at the national and global levels.

Canada summarized the major issues of the OEWG NC.

COP-2 President Kiddle noted the difficulty of accrediting participants for an additional OEWG at COP-2 and, per Chile’s suggestion, Parties agreed to forward discussion on reconvening OEWG NC to the Bureau.

Thomas Jakl (Austria, on behalf of the EU) noted that the GEF should be confirmed as the principal financial mechanism on a permanent basis, and that he was disappointed by the lack of analytical methodology in the draft decision on the terms of reference for work on modalities on the needs assessment UNEP/POPS/COP.2/18).

Yue Rui Sheng (China) noted the need to eliminate POPs at source, and that he hoped that financial support can come to China to assist with this. Plenary discussion of this item will continue on Tuesday morning.