The objective of the National Capacity Needs Self-Assessment (NCSA) is to identify country level priorities and needs for capacity building to address global environmental issues, in particular biological diversity, climate change, and land degradation, and the synergies between them, with the aim of catalyzing domestic and/or externally assisted action to meet those needs in a coordinated and planned manner.

The objective of this enabling activities proposal is to strengthen national capacity and enhance knowledge and understanding amongst decision-makers, managers, the industry, NGOs and the public at large on POPs to develop and formulate a National Implementation Plan (NIP). By achieving this objective Lao PDR will meet the obligations of the Stockholm Convention and will be enabled to manage the elimination of POPs.

Within the overall objective of the Stockholm Convention, which is to protect human health and the environment from POPs, the project will (i) prepare the ground for implementation of the Convention in Republic of Yemen; (ii) assist Republic of Yemen in meeting its reporting and other obligations under the Convention; and (iii) strengthen Republic of Yemen’s national capacity to manage POPs and chemicals generally.

The objective of this enabling activities proposal is to strengthen national capacity and to enhance knowledge and understanding amongst decision-makers, managers, the industry, NGOs and the public at large on POPs to enable them develop and formulate a National Implementation Plan (NIP) for the reduction and elimination of POPs. By achieving this objective Lesotho will meet the obligations of the Stockholm Convention.

Within the overall objective of the Stockholm Convention, which is to protect human health and the environment from POPs, the project will (i) prepare the ground for implementation of the Convention in Mozambique; (ii) assist Mozambique in meeting its reporting and other obligations under the Convention; and (iii) strengthen Mozambique’s national capacity to manage POPs and chemicals generally.

Within the overall objective of the Stockholm Convention, which is to protect human health and the environment from POPs, the project will: i.Prepare the ground for implementation of the Convention in the Gambia ii.Assist the Gambia in meeting its reporting and other obligations under the Convention; iii.Strengthen Gambia’s national capacity to manage POPs and chemicals generaly.

1.The GEF World Bank Investment Fund (IF) is the investment arm of the GEF Strategic Partnership on the Black Sea/Danube Basin which also funds two regional projects, one in Black Sea littoral countries and one in the Danube Basin, focusing on capacity building activities. The Fund constitutes a proposed envelope of US$70 million, to be approved by the GEF Council in several tranches, to grant-finance investment projects in the Black Sea/Danube Basin that aim at nutrient reduction. In May 2001, the GEF Council approved the first tranche of the Investment Fund, US$20 million.

The objectives of the project are: (i) to prepare a National Implementation Plan (NIP); (ii) to build capacity support for Enabling Activities; and (iii) to help develop indicators for incremental costs through the application and test of techniques for cleaning POPs-contaminated sites. The project will help develop and implement priority policy and regulatory reform, capacity building and investment programs as mandated by the Convention.

The requested $100000 will be used to identification of tech needs; access to tech information, participation in systematic observation network and preparation of programs to address climate change.