Environment Ministry of Concludes Regional Environmental Activities

Doha, February 24 (QNA) - A Regional Workshop on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals in GCC states concluded here today at the Millennium Hotel.
The two-day workshop was organized by the Ministry of the Environment in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Regional Office for West Asia, and the GCC General Secretariat and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) of the International Labour Organization.
The workshop was aimed to strengthen cooperation and exchange of expertise on warning against chemical hazards in GCC member states and consideration of concrete measures to implement the Global Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals in the region.
Due to the importance of the issue, the work team concerned with the follow-up and implementation of regional and international conventions and protocols related to hazardous chemicals and waste, which was formed upon instructions of Ministers responsible for environmental affairs, to participate in this workshop which was also attended by government officials from the environment, customs, occupational health and safety departments as well as other key sectors related to the management of chemical substances and hazardous waste.
The specific objectives of the workshop included, inter alia, the identification of the Globally Harmonized System by international experts, capacity building off concerned persons in regional countries, assessment of the situation regarding the implementation of the GHS in the GCC countries, identification of the existing relevant institutions in the GCC countries, regional initiatives related to implementation of the GHS Harmonized World in addition to agreeing on specific recommendations for the development of national and regional strategies for the implementation of the System.
The Environment Ministry organized during the period from 20 to 22 February a workshop on green customs aimed at building and strengthening the capacity of customs officers and other persons involved in the control and licensing, monitoring and control of materials and hazardous waste, endangered species and informing them about international conventions on the sound management of chemicals and hazardous waste, related conventions on endangered species and the obligations of countries in the region which most of them parties to many of those conventions.