Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Forum on Artisanal and Small Scale Gold Mining and the Minamata Convention on Mercury

The Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Forum on Artisanal and Small Scale Gold Mining and the Minamata Convention on Mercury was held on April 14-16 2015, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Forum on Artisanal and Small Scale Gold Mining and the Minamata Convention on Mercury was convened to support nine Sub-Saharan African countries in the development of their National Action Plans for reducing mercury use in Artisanal and Small Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) to meet the obligations of the Minamata Convention. The workshop provided training on the requirements for the National Action Plans, and helped countries prepare for implementation by providing scientific information and tools relevant to managing the ASGM sector.

• List of participants
• Meeting Report

Background on ASGM and the Minamata Convention

(The individual presentations are available on request)

• Overview and Implementation of the Minamata Convention
  Ken Davis, UNEP, April 14

• ASGM in the Minamata Convention (article 7)
  Ludovic Bernaudat (given by S. Keane), UNIDO, April 14

• Guidance for National Action Plans
  Susan Keane, NRDC, April 14

Formalization Panel Discussion

• Required Elements of the NAP part 1 - Formalization/Regulation
  John Tychsen, GEUS, April 14

Managing Mercury Trade and Preventing Diversion

• Managing Mercury Trade Under the Minamata Convention: Application to ASGM
  Richard Gutierrez, Ban Toxics, Philippines, April 14

Public Health Strategies

• Health in National Action Plans
  Susan Keane, NRDC, April 14

• Health in National Action Plan on ASGM: Philippine Experience
  Richard Gutierrez, Ban Toxics, Philippines, April 14

Baselines of Mercury Use and Practices

• Required Elements of the NAP Part 4: Baselines of Mercury Use and Practices
  Kevin Telmer, Artisanal Gold Council, April 15

• Example Inventory Calculator
  Kevin Telmer, Artisanal Gold Council, April 15

Eliminating Worst Practices and Exposures to Mercury

• Eliminating Worst Practices and Reducing Exposures to Mercury from ASGM
  Kevin Telmer, Artisanal Gold Council, April 15

Business/Financial Models to Replicate/Sustain Adoption of New Practices

• Business/Financial Models to Replicate/Sustain Adoption of New Practices
  Ruma Tavorath, World Bank, April 15

GEF funding for NAP Development

• Philippine National Action Plan on the Phaseout of Mercury in ASGM
  Richard Gutierrez, Ban Toxics, Philippones, April 15

• Mozambique NAP- Project Proposal
  Geraldo Valoi, Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy, Mozambique, April 16

• GEF Support to the Minamata Convention in the Interim Period
  Ibrahima Sow, April 16

• Questions and Steps to Consider (for breakout session)