The West Asia Regional Ozone Officers Network established in 1997 serves to enhance, strengthen and catalyze efforts among member countries to achieve and sustain compliance with the Montreal Protocol and its amendments. Our primary goal is the phase-out of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) and phase-down of hydrochlorocarbons (HFCsà as required und the Kigali Amendment in a timely manner while minimizing negative impacts on economic and social aspects. The West Asia region encompasses the following member countries: Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, State of Palestine (observer), Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syrian Arab Republic, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
The Compliance Assistance Programme (CAP) team in West Asia, headed by a Montreal Protocol Regional Coordinator and supported by a Programme Officer and a Programme Assistant, provides policy and technical advice and services to West Asian countries. These services ensure sustained compliance under the Montreal Protocol and facilitate the achievement of forthcoming targets.
While the timely implementation of phase-out projects remains a key priority for each country to meet compliance targets, CAP offers a range of services essential for maintaining compliance and addressing regional concerns. This includes policy and legislative support, technological guidance, and the identification and adoption of feasible alternatives suitable for the region's harsh climate. We facilitate this through regular organization of regional national ozone officers network meetings, thematic workshops/sessions, and south-south cooperation initiatives tailored to address country and regional needs.
In addition, CAP ensures effective and timely support to member states by initiating and maintaining close coordination and cooperation at national high levels, as well as with regional and sub-regional organizations, secretariats, and associations such as the League of Arab States (LAS), Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Regional Intelligence Liaison Office (RILO), World Customs Organization (WCO), and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), EUROVENT Middle East. This collaboration ensures the full engagement of stakeholders in delivering planned activities related to policy development, regulation, capacity building, and combating illegal trade with controlled substances.
Adapting to Challenges: Post-COVID-19 Response
With the COVID-19 pandemic abating significantly by early 2023, UNEP has successfully adapted its operations to mitigate its impacts on its work and services provided to countries. CAP West Asia has embraced virtual meetings, webinars, distance training, e-learning, and digital platforms to ensure business continuity. These lessons learned will inform future activities, enabling CAP to maintain effective support to network countries during any such future pandemics.
Priorities for CAP 2024-2026
In alignment with the 2024-2026 CAP Strategy, CAP West Asia’s priority focus is to assist the region in meeting and sustaining compliance with HCFCs and HFCs commitments under the Montreal Protocol and its Amendments. This will be achieved by providing the necessary support to network countries to effectively manage their national ozone programs, report accurate and timely data, establish and enforce effective legal, regulatory, and policy frameworks, control imports and exports, reduce/prevent illegal trade, inform and engage key stakeholders and the public, adopt appropriate lower-GWP and energy-efficient refrigeration and air conditioning technology and servicing practices, ratify the Kigali Amendment and develop related phase down plans, and implement Multilateral Fund projects in a timely and effective manner.
Outcomes and Objectives
Within the strategic context of the 2024-2026 CAP Strategy, OzonAction CAP will work towards achieving the below nine major outcomes, each contributing to the overarching goal of sustainable ozone layer protection and climate change mitigation in the West Asia region. These outcomes will be delivered through tailored outputs and activities over the next three years.
REGIONAL CONTACTS
Mr Khaled Klaly
Montreal Protocol Regional Coordinator for West Asia
OzonAction CAP team for West Asia
