Overview

Article 16, paragraph (1) (g), of the Basel Convention is providing the mandate for the technical assistance under the Convention. It provides that the functions of the Secretariat include receiving and conveying information from and to Parties on sources of technical assistance and training, available technical and scientific know-how, sources of advice and expertise and availability of resources, with a view to assisting them, upon request, in such areas as the handling of the notification system of the Convention; the management of hazardous wastes and other wastes; environmentally sound technologies relating to hazardous wastes and other wastes, such as low- and non-waste technology; the assessment of disposal capabilities and sites; the monitoring of hazardous wastes and other wastes; and emergency responses.

At every meeting, the Conference of the Parties is adopting a decision on technical assistance providing guidance on implementation of technical assistance activities to all relevant stakeholders for the next biennium.

At regular intervals technical assistance needs of developing country Parties and Parties with economy in transition and the technical assistance available from developed country Parties and others for the implementation of the Basel Convention are collected and summarized by the Secretariat.

The results of the technical assistance needs assessment are considered by the Secretariat in the development of the four-year technical assistance plan for the implementation of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions. The technical assistance plan is seeking to engage all relevant actors to address these needs in a strategic, systematic and forward-looking manner, and to provide a general framework for strengthened support to Parties, particularly developing country Parties and Parties with economies in transition, in their implementation of the conventions. Working with partners has an important multiplier effect on implementation activities.

The technical assistance plan is guiding also the Secretariat’s biannual programme of work technical assistance activities.

Regional delivery of technical assistance is supported by the Basel Convention regional centers as well as by the Secretariat’s regional focal points.

Some examples of thematic areas on which technical assistance activities are organized for the Basel Convention parties are:

1. Legal and institutional frameworks
2. Control of transboundary movements (TBM) of hazardous and other wastes
3. Environmentally sound management (ESM) of hazardous and other wastes
4. Emergency Assistance
5. National Reporting