13 to 15 July 2011, Asmara, Eritrea. Following Eritrea’s June 2011 persistent organic pollutants inventory validation workshop, UNITAR supported a two-day national training workshop on strengthening skills for action plan development to implement the Stockholm Convention. This completes the two UNITAR/UNDP projects to assist 40 Least Developed Countries with Action Plan Skills Building as part of National Implementation Plan Development under the Stockholm Convention, which were funded by the Global Environment Facility, with support from the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (BAFU).

This was followed by a one-day National Planning and Inception Meeting to launch Eritrea’s Quick Start Programme Trust Fund project for the implementation of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM). The meeting focused on preparing a National Profile to Assess Infrastructure and Capacity Needs for Chemicals Management, through a process which involves all interested parties at the country level. 
 
Both events were attended by over 50 representatives of government, non-governmental organizations, academia, and industry as well as UNITAR. The events were hosted by the Ministry of Land, Water and Environment of Eritrea, with technical support provided by UNITAR.