Background
From 1 to 12 May 2023, Secretary of State Sabo Ouchano of the Ministry of Environment led the Cambodian delegation to the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, the 11th Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, and the 11th Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. The conferences were held in Geneva, Switzerland, under the joint theme of accelerating the sound management of chemicals and waste.
Scope of Application
The meetings involved 1,400 participants representing 182 party countries and international organizations as observers. The discussions covered implementation of the three multilateral environmental agreements, including transboundary movement and disposal of hazardous waste, international trade in hazardous chemicals and pesticides, and management of persistent organic pollutants.
Key Provisions or Decisions
The conferences focused on several main objectives:
- Reviewing progress and challenges in implementing the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, with a view to identifying solutions to support parties.
- Discussing and adopting decisions and proposed amendments to certain provisions prepared by technical working groups and submitted by parties, in order to improve the effectiveness of convention implementation and meet agreed targets.
- Examining and discussing the preparation of programmes of work and budgets for the periods 2024 and 2027.
On the margins of the meetings, Secretary of State Sabo Ouchano held a working discussion with Rolph Payet, Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions. During this discussion, the Secretary of State highlighted Cambodia’s position and commitment to cooperate with the international community in environmental protection and public health protection through accession to multilateral environmental agreements, fulfillment of treaty obligations, preparation of relevant normative legal documents, capacity building for officials, and organization of public awareness and outreach programmes related to hazardous chemicals and waste.
Implications for Investors, Businesses, or Compliance
Cambodia’s participation in these COP meetings and its reiterated commitment to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions signal ongoing alignment with international standards on hazardous chemicals and waste management. Over time, this engagement may translate into further development of domestic legal instruments, strengthened institutional capacity, and expanded public awareness activities related to hazardous wastes, hazardous chemicals, pesticides and persistent organic pollutants, which can affect compliance expectations for industries handling such substances and for cross-border movement of hazardous materials.
Official Source
Ministry of Environment, official Facebook page post dated 8 May 2023.
