AFRICAN REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON CHEMICAL SAFETY
DAKAR, SENEGAL
3-5 JULY 2002
HIGHLIGHTS OF MEETING
The African regional meeting of the IFCS was hosted by the Government of
Senegal, in Dakar, Senegal, 3-5 July 2002. Twenty-nine African governments
participated in the meeting, together with representatives of 3 governments
from other regions, 5 intergovernmental organizations and 6
nongovernmental organizations.
The meeting agenda was based on the African Priorities identified by the
regional representatives at Forum III (Brazil, October 2000). The Dakar
Conference made the first regional evaluation of progress made on the IFCS
Priorities for Action beyond 2000. Participants examined progress achieved,
problems encountered and feasible solutions. An African regional programme
was further developed, reflecting the outcomes of the agenda items, and an
agreed work plan to be undertaken by participants prior to Forum IV. Multistakeholder partnerships, focusing on collaborative work to attain identified
regional priorities were discussed and encouraged with the view to strengthen
existing efforts and initiate new possibilities. Follow-up will be discussed at
the Regional Meetings during Forum IV (Thailand, 1-7 November 2003).
African Regional Conference on Chemical Safety
Dakar, Senegal, 3-5 July 2002
Highlights of Meeting
HIGHLIGHTS OF MEETING
DAY I ( 03 July)
1.
OPENING
Welcoming statements by the IFCS Vice President, Mr. N.C. Sylla, the IFCS
President, Mr. H. Cavalcanti and the Minister of Fisheries of Senegal, Mr Cheikh Sadibou
FALL. The support of the Governments of USA, Germany and Switzerland, and of UNEP
and ICCA were acknowledged. This was followed by introduction of the participants (List of
Participants Annex 1).
*
Meeting Objectives were highlighted by the VP as follows:
-
Evaluate progress made on the IFCS Priorities for Action
Strike alliance between government and NGOs
Build partnership with all relevant stakeholders
Establish a Work Plan for African countries
*
Nigeria and Guinea were appointed as Rapporteurs for the session. Mr Ibrahima Sow,
past IFCS Vice-President, was appointed co-chair of the meeting.
*
Agenda adopted after few amendments (Annex 2).
The meeting adopted a Work Plan for the African Region for the time period prior to
Forum IV (November 2003). The Work Plan includes concrete actions with target dates to
advance the IFCS Priorities for Action in countries (Annex 3).
2.
IFCS PRIORITIES FOR ACTION





*
Need for full representation of National Focal Points (NFPs)
Each country to establish an Interministerial Committee for sound chemicals
management
Need for improved information exchange
Low-key activity on poison control centres – need for operational centres by
Forum IV
Need for development / review of National Profiles (NPs)
Analysis of countries' responses to the African Regional Questionnaire was undertaken
by the VP.
DISCUSSION
*
Questionnaire served as a starting point in developing the African Regional
Programme on Chemical Safety prior to Forum IV
*
Need for clarity in drafting Questionnaire.
African Regional Conference on Chemical Safety
Dakar, Senegal, 3-5 July 2002
Highlights of Meeting
*
Subsequent Questionnaire should be forwarded to appropriate authority to prevent
unnecessary information gaps.
*
Questionnaire to be forwarded to trade unions in future to assist in sensitisation of
governments to its due completion.
*
NFPs are responsible for completion of Questionnaire in collaboration with all sectors
and stakeholders.
*
Questionnaires sent to Ministry of Foreign Affairs for countries who have not
designated NFPs
+
Need for designation of NFPs by all countries, latest by Forum IV
+
Need for updated information from countries that submitted questionnaire
+
Need for countries that have not yet completed / submitted questionnaire to do so
*
Information from questionnaire is very useful for the President’s report for Forum IV
*
Need for feedback to IFCS Secretariat on future exercises involving clarifications.
+
Delegates to provide input on improvement of Questionnaire
3.
PUBLIC HEALTH SECTOR NATIONAL ACTION PLANS ON CHEMICAL
SAFETY
*
Presentation by Mr. T. Pule on background, outcome and follow up to the WHO /
AFRO Conference on Chemical Safety. Issues considered included:



Environmental Impact Assessment as tool to promote safety activities
Support for countries to develop Environmental Health Policies
Poor feedback from countries since Cape Town
DISCUSSION/FOLLOW-UP ACTION
*
Provision of a Regional Module by WHO to develop Environmental
Emergency systems
*
Countries to forward to WHO specific requests/needs for development of
Action Plans and Emergency Response Systems .
*
Establishment of an active line of communication by WHO with countries in
the region for effective implementation of follow-up actions to Cape Town.
*
Offer of the IFCS Secretariat to the WHO Regional Office for the use of IFCS
Information Circulars as an additional mechanism of providing information and
sensitising stakeholders and a wider audience.
African Regional Conference on Chemical Safety
Dakar, Senegal, 3-5 July 2002
*
4.
Highlights of Meeting
ILO to take a cue from the WHO in organising a Regional Conference on
Occupational Hazards of Chemicals to address workers exposure; with the
challenge of developing National Action Plans (NAPs) on Occupational
Hazards.
PARTNERSHIPS FOR CHEMICAL SAFETY
*
Presentations were taken from Dr. W. Mahlmann, Ministry of Environment Germany, who represented the view of Government and spoke on the European
experience. Mr Mbaye & Dr Everts, CERES/Locustox (FAO) also gave
presentations on regional work of organizations. Presentations on chemicals
management & ecotoxicology was given by Dr Everts, while Mr Mbaye
presented experiences on CERES-Locustox work. Dr T. Kalhoulé (ILO)
presented an overview of the regional situation on chemical risks at the work
place.
*
The NGOs also presented their various experiences and related work on
partnerships for chemicals management.
DISCUSSION/RECOMMENDATIONS










Need for establishment of Ecotoxicological Laboratories in sub-regions for
analysis /research work
Ratification of conventions by States for inclusion in national activities
Organization of workshops on specific aspects of chemical risks at work places
Development of Outreach/Info dissemination Programme (with cognisance of
media) to reach the grassroots
Extension of ICCA’s work on responsible care to other countries in the region
Provision of Info on IFCS activities and list of NFPs to ILO
Sensitisation of politicians on chemical hazards
Development of sub-regional guidelines for management of chemicals in work
places
Preparation of sub-regional surveys of actions by partners to prevent chemical
risks
Development of Industrial Toxicological Module for Information, Education
and Communication on chemicals management in work places.
A framework on Partnerships for Chemical Safety in Africa was drafted at the meeting
(Annex 4). The framework includes a number of potential partnerships which
participants agreed in principle to explore further.
DAY 2 (04 July)
5.
NATIONAL COMMITTEES/MECHANISMS FOR CHEMICAL SAFETY
Presentation on Guidance and assistance available to countries for establishing these
mechanisms of cooperation and coordination was given by Mr Craig Boljkovac of
UNITAR, while countries' experiences were presented by Dr Ernest Mashimba, Prof.
Mounirou and Mrs Abiola Olanipekun of Tanzania, Senegal and Nigeria respectively.
African Regional Conference on Chemical Safety
Dakar, Senegal, 3-5 July 2002
Highlights of Meeting
DISCUSSION/RECOMMENDATIONS
*
Key role of information exchange, National Profiles and strengthened coordination in
development of Action Plans.
*
Establishment of Inter-ministerial./National Committees
*
Forwarding of requests for preparation of National Profiles (NPs) to UNITAR
*
Provision of information to IFCS Secretariat on strategies to encourage countries’
participation in identified ‘Priorities for Action’
*
Compilation of the list of countries with National Profiles/National Committees and
those without.
*
Establishment of an informal consultative mechanism to enhance development of NPs
and National Committees
6.
HARMONIZATION OF LEGISLATION
Presentations on the work of UNITAR in Strengthening of National Legislation was
given by Mr Boljkovac, while Dr Mbaye and Mr Manda presented activities at the
sub-regional and national levels respectively.
DISCUSSION/ RECOMMENDATIONS
*
FAO’s support to countries to establish pesticide legislation
*
Enhancement of collaboration and information exchange in countries through
harmonized systems
*
Availability of information on harmonized systems to sub-regional stakeholders
*
Use of sub-regional and regional organs such as CILSS and the SADEC to facilitate
the harmonization process
*
Establishment of National Committees to effectively apply regional control measures
at national and local levels.
*
Training of customs officials in the effective enforcement of chemical products
importation laws
*
Pooling of sub-regional and regional resources for effective control
7 & 8 REGIONAL INFORMATION EXCHANGE NETWORK ON CHEMICALS
The work of the USEPA and UNEP under the Chemicals Information Exchange
Network (CIEN), was presented by Dr W. Sanders and Mr C. Siewe respectively;
African Regional Conference on Chemical Safety
Dakar, Senegal, 3-5 July 2002
Highlights of Meeting
while Mr R. Zadi-Dakouri and Mr O. D. Cisse of Cote d’Ivoire and Mali respectively
presented countries' experiences under the project. Mr N. Manda of Zambia also
presented the outcome of the discussions of SADEC countries on a possible regional
network. A progress report on the development and implementation of the
Information Exchange Network on Capacity Building for the Sound Management of
Chemicals (INFOCAP) was given by Mr. C. Boljkovac and Mrs Abiola Olanipekun,
members of the INFOCAP Steering Group.
DISCUSSION/RECOMMENDATIONS








Need of Internet Server to promote information exchange amongst stakeholders
Develop grant application (IFCS secretariat lead with input /review by UNEP,
USEPA, UNITAR, lead African countries)
Identification and training of stakeholders at national level
The need for African countries to implement the CIEN
Information access, exchange and networking should be an integral part of the
National Action Plans (NIPs) of the POPs convention and other related
chemical conventions.
IFCS should encourage donors and donor countries to increase their funding
and contributions to CIEN-related activities.
Forum should encourage governments to participate in, contribute to or support
the CIEN project
Encourage African countries to use the services provided by INFOCAP
DAY 3 (06 July)
9.
POISON CENTRES
The role, functions and guidelines for development of Poison Centres were presented
by Ms J. Tempowski of WHO/IPCS, while Mrs E. Clarke and Dr G. Muller of the
Ministry of Health, Ghana and Tygerberg Poison Information Centre, South Africa
presented start-up experiences and case study of a well-established centre respectively.
DISCUSSION/ RECOMMENDATIONS





Benefits of locating Centres in University/Research Hospital environments.
Need for key contacts in the health sector for establishment of centres
NFPs to take the lead in setting the momentum for the establishment of centres
through awareness raising and sensitisation of key stakeholders.
Submission of identified Contact person at country level for the establishment of
Poison Centres to the IFCS Secretariat and the WHO
Forwarding of checklist of criteria for the establishment of Poison Centres
African Regional Conference on Chemical Safety
Dakar, Senegal, 3-5 July 2002
10.
Highlights of Meeting
CLOSING
Dr J. Stober, IFCS Executive Secretary, and Mr H. Cavalcanti, IFCS President,
congratulated the Vice President and meeting participants on the successful meeting. The
valuable work of the local organizers and interpreters was acknowledged with appreciation.
Mr Zadr-Dakouri, on behalf of the African governments, expressed great appreciation for the
leadership of Mr Sylla as regional Vice President and the dedicated work on organizing the
regional meeting. Mr Sylla thanked all the participants for their valuable contributions to the
meeting and underlined the important work to be done before Forum IV in November 2003.