National Implementation Plan (NIP) Update for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) for The Gambia.

This National Implementation Plan (NIP) Update Project aims at improving the Gambia commitment to the full implementation of the 2001 Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, and at strengthening the country’s national capacity in developing a national framework for the effective and sound management of chemicals in general and Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in particular, for the protection of human health and the environment from the negative effects of POPs. The objectives of this NIP are: revision and update of the plans for implementation of the Stockholm Convention in The Gambia; effective and sound management of chemicals in general and POPs in particular; improve country’s achievement of national obligations under the Convention. The goals of this NIP are: describing the country’s actions for the inventory, management and reduction of the presence of POPs; providing proposals and measures, in order to prevent these chemicals from entering the environment; informing the Conference of the Parties and the country’s stakeholders about any national initiatives and projects designed to meet the requirements of the Convention. This NIP comprises three chapters, and it is structured as follows: chapter 1 provides an overview of the aims and goals of the NIP, as well as the process for the development of the NIP; chapter 2 outlines The Gambia’s demographic, political and economic status and it gives basic information on the country’s status regarding the management of POPs; chapter 3 presents an overview of recommended activities, strategies, action plans, and presents priorities, capacity-building needs, time frame for implementation strategy and estimated resource requirements.
The NIP provides an assessment and inventory of the situation of the POPs in the country and of the POPs contaminated sites: pesticides; DDT used for malaria control; polychlorinated biphenyls and naphthalenes (PCBs and PCNs) and related transformers, hydraulic oils, and waste oils; unintentionally-produced POPs and health care and hospital waste. Concerning Policy statements and strategies for its implementation, the NIP focuses on: strengthening coordination between institutions and stakeholders; providing adequate legal, institutional, administrative and technical infrastructures; implementation of sustainable consumption and production, in order to address POPs substitution and comply with Sustainable Development Goals. The NIP defines the following targeted actions for POPs management: reducing contamination of air, water and soil and threat to food safety and drinking water safety; improving research in environmental monitoring and in recycling; identification of appropriate measures for handling and disposal of waste; improvement of waste management and introduction of waste hierarchy for reduction of unintentionally formed POPs from open burning; integrated pollutants prevention and control; adequate financial and technical assistance.