IFCS/FSC/07.23 Forum VI Host & Venue September 2008 *** Correspondence to/from the Government of Senegal
President: Dr Zoltán Szabó, Hungary : Dr Judy Stober Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety Ministere Thierno Lô, Ministre de l environnement et de la protection de la nature Building Administratif 2 nd floor B.P. 4055 Dakar Senegal 13 March 2007 Dear Minister, PROPOSAL TO HOST THE SIXTH SESSION OF THE IFCS (FORUM VI) IN SENEGAL It is my pleasure to write to the Government of Senegal on behalf of the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS) concerning its proposal to host the sixth session of the Forum (Forum VI) in Senegal. The interest and offer put forward by the Government of Senegal at Forum IV in 2003 and confirmed at Forum V in 2006 was very much appreciated and welcomed by the Forum. In expressing its support for the proposal, the Forum acknowledged the importance of holding a session in the African region, the only region yet to host a Forum meeting. The IFCS President on behalf of the IFCS accepted the offer of the Government of Senegal contingent on the submission of the formal proposal by the Government of Senegal and its approval. I and the IFCS Vice President for the African Region have communicated with and held discussions with Mr C. N. Sylla to ensure the Government is informed on the host government requirements and responsibilities as well as the process for submission of an official proposal. Enclosed for your ease of reference are the Guidelines and Criteria for Selection of Hosts that were adopted by Forum IV (IFCS/FORUM-IV/16w Annex 10). The Guidelines and Criteria list in detail the information required in the official proposal which includes the financial guarantees and sources of funding. The Forum Standing Committee (FSC) has the responsibility to review proposals and take the decision to designate a country as the host country for a session of the Forum. In order to ensure adequate planning and organization time for Forum VI, the FSC is requesting that the formal proposal to host Forum VI be submitted by 31 May 2007. Please let me know if additional information is needed or if I can be of assistance. I look forward to your response and working with the Government of Senegal to advance the goals of the IFCS. Yours sincerely, cc: Mission permanente de la République du Sénégal auprès de l'office des Nations Unies et des Institutions spécialisées à Genève, Rue de la Servette 93, 1202 Genève Mr C.N. Sylla, Deputy Director of Environment, Ministry of Environment, 123 rue Calmette, BP 6557, Dakar Etoile, Senegal. Encl: Fourth Session of the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety Final Report, Annex 10 Hosting Meetings of the Forum Guidelines and Criteria for Selection of Hosts (IFCS/FORUM-IV/16w Annex 10) Secretariat: c/o World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland Tel: +41 (22) 791 3873/3650; Fax: +41 (22) 791 4875; Email: ifcs@who.int; Website: www.ifcs.ch
President: Dr Zoltán Szabó, Hungary : Dr Judy Stober Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety Ministere Thierno Lô, Ministre de l environnement et de la protection de la nature Building Administratif 2 nd floor B.P. 4055 Dakar Senegal 25 June 2007 Dear Minister, PROPOSAL TO HOST THE SIXTH SESSION OF THE IFCS (FORUM VI) IN SENEGAL Reference is made to my letter dated 13 March 2007 concerning the interest of the Government of Senegal to host the sixth session of the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (Forum VI) in Senegal. As noted in that letter, the Forum Standing Committee (FSC) has the responsibility to review proposals and take the decision to designate a country as the host country for a session of the Forum. The75th FSC meeting was convened in Jongny, Switzerland from 18-20 June 2007, to prepare the agenda and programme and take a decision on the host and venue for Forum VI. The Government of Senegal was represented at the meeting by Mr Cheikh Ndiaye Sylla, Deputy Director of Environment, Ministry of Environment. At the meeting, the FSC again expressed its appreciation for the interest of the Government of Senegal to host Forum VI, but noted that the necessary comprehensive formal proposal including the guarantee of full funding resources had not been received by the requested deadline of 31 May 2007. At the request of Mr Sylla, the FSC agreed to extend the deadline for receiving the necessary proposal and funding guarantees from the Government of Senegal until 31 July 2007. In light of the importance of Forum VI for the future of IFCS and its ability to substantively contribute to the implementation of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), the FSC has taken the decision to go forward with alternate arrangements to organize Forum VI at the UN conference facility in Nairobi if the required proposal is not submitted by the Government of Senegal by 31 July 2007. Please let me know if additional information is needed or if I can be of assistance. I look forward to your response and working with the Government of Senegal to advance the goals of the IFCS. Yours sincerely, cc: Mission permanente de la République du Sénégal auprès de l'office des Nations Unies et des Institutions spécialisées à Genève, Rue de la Servette 93, 1202 Genève Mr C.N. Sylla, Deputy Director of Environment, Ministry of Environment, 123 rue Calmette, BP 6557, Dakar Etoile, Senegal. Secretariat: c/o World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland Tel: +41 (22) 791 3873/3650; Fax: +41 (22) 791 4875; Email: ifcs@who.int; Website: www.ifcs.ch
PR Fax 31Jul2007 Translation.doc Translated from French MBC/as 30:07:07 N 070365 MAE DOI/Da.i Republic of Senegal One People - One Goal One Faith Dakar, 31 July 2007 Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Minister Dear Madam, In reply to your letter of 25 June 2007 to the Ministry of the Environment of Senegal concerning the sixth session (Forum VI) of the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS), scheduled to be held from 13 to 18 September 2008, I should like to inform you that Senegal is prepared to host this session. Organizational arrangements for Forum VI will be finalized by our respective services during the negotiation and signing of the Host Country Agreement. Accept, Madam, the assurances of my highest consideration. On behalf of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and, by delegation, the Ambassador and Secretary-General (Signed) Absa Claude DIALLO (Stamp of Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS) 20, Avenue Appia CH-1211 Geneva 27 Switzerland
President: Dr Zoltán Szabó, Hungary : Dr Judy Stober Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety Global Partnerships for Chemical Safety Ministre d Etat Ministre des Affaires étrangères Dakar Senegal 3 August 2007 Dear Minister, SIXTH SESSION OF THE IFCS (FORUM VI) Thank you for your communication dated 31July 2007confirming the availability of the Government of Senegal to host the sixth session of the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (Forum VI) in Senegal from the 13 to 18 September 2008. Reference is made to my letters to the Minister of Environment dated 13 March 2007 and 25 June 2007 detailing the requirements for a proposal to host a session of the Forum. In view of the fact that the necessary comprehensive formal proposal including the guarantee of full funding resources had not been received from the Government of Senegal by the extended deadline of 31 July 2007, the Forum Standing Committee has taken the decision to go forward with alternate arrangements to organize Forum VI at the UN conference facility in Nairobi. The willingness of the Government of Senegal to host a session of the Forum is very much appreciated. A formal proposal from your government to host a subsequent future session of the Forum would be welcomed. I look forward to the continuing collaboration with the Government of Senegal to advance the goals of the IFCS. Yours sincerely, cc: Mission permanente de la République du Sénégal auprès de l'office des Nations Unies et des Institutions spécialisées à Genève, Rue de la Servette 93, 1202 Genève Mr C.N. Sylla, Deputy Director of Environment, Ministry of Environment, 123 rue Calmette, BP 6557, Dakar Etoile, Senegal. Dr Zoltán Szabó, Acting Director General, Fodor Jozsef National Center for Public Health, IFCS President Secretariat: c/o World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland Tel: +41 (22) 791 3873/3650; Fax: +41 (22) 791 4875; Email: ifcs@who.int; Website: www.ifcs.ch
PR Fax 13Aug2007 Translation.doc Translated from French MBC/as 13:08:07 N 070509 MAE DOI/Da.i Republic of Senegal One People - One Goal One Faith Dakar, 13 August 2007 Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Minister Dear Madam, Following Senegal's confirmation of its agreement to host Forum VI at the Meridien President in Dakar in September 2008, the Senegalese authorities have taken cognizance of the financial and technical requirements for hosting a meeting of the Forum and have adopted all appropriate measures to satisfy the criteria set forth in annex 10 (IFCD/Forum-VI/16w) and in particular its section A. I would venture to point out that Senegal has already organized and hosted numerous international meetings, including the conferences of the Parties to the Convention to Combat Desertification, the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol and the Stockholm Convention (2006). Senegal has also organized a meeting of IFCS in 2004, when it occupied the Vice-Presidency for Africa, at which time it made a valuable contribution to the very important work of IFCS in the field of environmental management. This testifies to the experience Senegal has acquired in the organization of international meetings, which may be viewed on the following web sites: www.denv.gouv.sn/cmop717/fr/partenaires.php and www.denv.gouv.sn/pops3/spip.php?rubrique1. Although the Senegalese authorities have already earmarked the provisional budget provided in annex, they are willing to accept any contribution from sponsors to this major meeting, to be held for the first time in Africa. If necessary, an additional amount will be added to the existing budget, to cover all the expenditure entailed by the organization. Accept, Madam, the assurances of my highest consideration. On behalf of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and, by delegation, the Ambassador and Secretary-General (Stamp of Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS) 20, Avenue Appia CH-1211 Geneva 27 Switzerland (Signed) Absa Claude DIALLO
PR Fax 13Aug2007 Translation.doc Translated from French Draft Budget - Forum VI Participants' travel (airport - hotel - conference centre) 13 000 000 Exhibition 25 000 000 Photocopying 20 000 000 Banners/posters and bags 15 000 000 Hostesses/document distributors 4 000 000 Translators/rapporteurs 42 000 000 Interpreters 50 000 000 Reception/airport and support personnel 60 000 000 Sub-total 229 000 000 Communication Communiqué, TV and radio advertisements Rent of computers, printers, telephones and fax machines 25 000 000 Sub-total 25 000 000 Overheads Supplies and bags 10 000 000 Fuel, travel of support personnel, staff and VIPs 5 000 000 Support personnel (secretaries, drivers, photocopy staff, mail staff) 15 000 000 Miscellaneous 20 000 000 Sub-total 50 000 000 Grand Total 376 000 000 (sic) Grand total (US$) 788 260
President: Dr Zoltán Szabó, Hungary : Dr Judy Stober Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety Global Partnerships for Chemical Safety Ministre d Etat Ministre des Affaires étrangères de la République du Sénégal Dakar Senegal 20 August 2007 Dear Minister, SIXTH SESSION OF THE IFCS (FORUM VI) Thank you for your letter dated 13 August 2007 confirming the agreement of the Government of Senegal to host the sixth session of the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (Forum VI) in Senegal in September 2008 at the Meridien President in Dakar and providing a guarantee of the financial and technical resources to satisfy the criteria set forth in the IFCS document Hosting Meetings of the Forum Guidelines and Criteria for Selection of Hosts (IFCS/FORUM-IV/16w, Annex 10) as further elaborated in Hosting Meetings of the Forum Organizational and Local Arrangements Responsibilities of Host Government based on a draft budget totalling 788 260 USD. It is further understood that, if necessary, the Government of Senegal will increase the existing budget to cover all the expenditure entailed to organize the meeting. The Forum Standing Committee (FSC) has the responsibility to review proposals and take the decision to designate a country as the host country for a session of the Forum. I will request the FSC to consider the additional information provided by the Government of Senegal in your letter dated 13 August 2007 and to reconsider its decision on the host and venue of Forum VI at its next meeting/teleconference to be held 25 September 2007. I will immediately inform you on the outcome of the FSC deliberations and its decision. The interest and efforts of the Government of Senegal to host a session of the Forum is very much appreciated. I look forward to the continuing collaboration with the Government of Senegal to advance the goals of the IFCS. Yours sincerely, cc : Mission permanente de la République du Sénégal auprès de l'office des Nations Unies et des Institutions spécialisées à Genève, Rue de la Servette 93, 1202 Genève Mr C.N. Sylla, Deputy Director of Environment, Ministry of Environment, 123 rue Calmette, BP 6557, Dakar Etoile, Senegal. Dr Zoltán Szabó, Acting Director General, Fodor Jozsef National Center for Public Health, IFCS President Secretariat: c/o World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland Tel: +41 (22) 791 3873/3650; Fax: +41 (22) 791 4875; Email: ifcs@who.int; Website: www.ifcs.ch