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Bi-annual international expert meetings on the Marrakech
Process are organised to report regional progress, share
experiences, and coordinate international cooperation. Beyond
promoting awareness and identifying priorities and needs
on SCP, the international expert meetings frame the steps
in the elaboration of the 10YFP, define and launch new mechanisms
of the Marrakech Process with the participation of various
stakeholders, such governments, business and industry, NGOs,
development agencies, researchers, experts on SCP, among
others.
"The Marrakech Process has a value in itself. While
leading towards a 10YFP, the Marrakech Process has been
a substantive dialogue and forum for cooperation on SCP
issues among and between governments and other stakeholders
at international and regional levels. It has also made significant
progress in the first four years of its existence, including
through the development of regional processes and strategies,
the creation of the Marrakech Task Forces supporting the
implementation of SCP projects, the initiation of a Development
Cooperation Dialogue and the engagement of business, industry
and NGOs." Paul Hofseth, Senior Adviser, International
Environment Policy, Ministry of Environment, Norway.
So far, three international expert meetings on the Marrakech
Process have been held (see below). The next international
meeting will be held in China in 2009.
Marrakech Process at international, regional and national
levels
International meetings
are organised every two years under the Marrakech Process
in order to report on progress, share experiences and coordinate
international cooperation. To date, three international
meetings have been organised.
- The
First International Expert Meeting in Marrakech, Morocco
(June 2003):
- Launching the Marrakech Process
- The
Second International Expert Meeting on the 10YFP in Costa
Rica (September 2005):
- Shifting its emphasis from consultation
to implementation of concrete SCP projects;
- Launching new mechanisms for
implementation such as the Marrakech Task Forces and
the Cooperation Dialogue with Development Agencies.
- The
Third International Expert Meeting in Stockholm, Sweden
(June 2007):
- Launching two new mechanisms such
as the Business & Industry Forum (facilitated
by the WBCSD and ICC) and the NGO Forum
- Establishing new 'Advisory Board'
for the Marrakech Process
- Endorsing another round
of regional consultations to strengthen regional strategies/initiatives
as well as to obtain feedback on the draft proposal
on the 10YFP.
Between 2003 and 2007, UNEP and UN-DESA
jointly organised eleven regional
consultations in four different regions - Africa, Asia
& the Pacific, Europe, and Latin America & the Caribbean-
and one sub-regional meeting in the Baltic States, with
support from host governments and donors. In the regional
meetings, SCP experts consulted on regional priorities and
needs with regard to the development and implementation
of regional SCP strategies/action plans. In addition to
these regional meetings, three national
SCP roundtables in China, India and Brazil have been
organised to encourage SCP initiatives and programmes at
the national level.
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