SAICM Enabling Activities
One of the key outcomes from the International Conference on Chemicals Management is a focus on "enabling" activities to assist countries with SAICM implementation. The Overarching Policy Strategy, in Paragraph 22 of section C(VII), states that:
Implementation of the Strategic Approach could begin with an enabling phase to build necessary capacity, as appropriate, to develop, with relevant stakeholder participation, a national Strategic Approach implementation plan, taking into consideration, as appropriate, existing elements such as legislation, national profiles, action plans, stakeholder initiatives and gaps, priorities, needs and circumstances.
This focus is also reflected in Resolution I/4 to establish the Quick Start Programme for the implementation of Strategic Approach Objectives, building upon the outcomes of the International Conference.
UNITAR offers assistance to countries for a variety of identified enabling activities for SAICM, including:
In addition, UNITAR stands ready to assist countries with development of proposals for the Quick Start Programme Trust Fund. To-date, some 37 countries have received UNITAR assistance for proposal development. SAICM National Focal Points from interested countries are asked to contact UNITAR at 
Belarus, Pakistan, Panama, and Tanzania are also receiving support from UNITAR and the Government of Switzerland for four, 3-year pilot projects related to SAICM enabling activities. For more information, please click here.
15 Projects Funded by SAICM Quick Start Programme Trust Fund to Update National Profiles, Development a National SAICM Capacity Assessment, and Hold a National SAICM Priority-Setting Workshop
At its second meeting, in October 2006, the SAICM Quick Start Programme Trust Fund Implementation Committee met and considered a first round of proposals from countries and NGOs for support. Fifteen countries were selected to undertake a number of enabling activities, with technical support from UNITAR.
The countries include: Armenia, Burkina Faso, Chile, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Haiti, Georgia, Madagascar, Mongolia, Rwanda, São Tomé & Principe, Serbia, and Syria.
All 15 countries presently have National Profiles. However, as part of these 2-year projects, the Profiles will be updated in light of the outcomes of ICCM. In addition, countries will undertake a second enabling activity - the development of a comprehensive National SAICM Capacity Assessment. Guidance is currently being developed which will be field tested in the countries. The third activity is the holding of a National SAICM Priority-Setting Workshop. This workshop will determine, based on the Capacity Assessment, National Profile and additional deliberations, priority issues related to SAICM implementation.
18 Projects Funded by SAICM Quick Start Programme Trust Fund to Undertake SAICM Enabling Activities
At its third meeting, in May 2007, the SAICM Quick Start Programme Trust Fund Implementation Committee met and considered a second round of proposals from countries and NGOs for support. Eighteen countries/entities were selected to undertake a number of enabling activities, with technical support from UNITAR.
These include: Barbados, Bolivia, Burundi, Cambodia, Chad, Comoros, Eritrea, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Malawi, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Palestine.
The projects include a range of activities, such as developing or updating a National Profile, developing a comprehensive National SAICM Capacity Assessment, holding a National SAICM Priority-Setting Workshop, developing a national SAICM policy, developing a National Chemicals Management Database, and awareness raising activities.
4 Projects Funded by SAICM Quick Start Programme Trust Fund to Undertake SAICM Enabling Activities
At its fourth meeting, in October 2007, the SAICM Quick Start Programme Trust Fund Implementation Committee met and considered a third round of proposals from countries and NGOs for support. Four countries were selected to undertake a number of enabling activities, with technical support from UNITAR.
These include: Kenya, Liberia, Mali, and Yemen.
The projects include a range of activities, such as developing or updating a National Profile, developing a comprehensive National SAICM Capacity Assessment, holding a National SAICM Priority-Setting Workshop, developing a national SAICM policy, developing a National Chemicals Management Database, action plan training and development, strengthening inter-agency cooperation, developing and strengthening national legislation and policies for the sound management of chemicals, and awareness raising activities.
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