Minamata Convention hosts mercury trade workshop: Experience from Parties with an ASGM sector

Back-to-back with the 2024 planetGold Global Forum on ASGM, the Minamata Convention Secretariat conducted a mercury trade workshop financially supported by the European Union and organized by the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources, UNIDO, and BAN Toxics. The session facilitated knowledge sharing among government officials and miner representatives on managing mercury trade in alignment with the Convention and artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) National Action Plans.

Moderated by Richard Gutierrez, Programme Officer at the Minamata Convention Secretariat, the event was opened by the Philippines Undersecretary of Environment and Natural Resources Juan Miguel Cuna, Minamata Convention Executive Secretary Monika Stankiewicz, and Rodica Ivan from UNIDO.

In her opening remarks, Stankiewicz recalled that the Minamata Convention addresses the entire lifecycle of mercury, including its supply, trade, and demand. "Understanding the provisions on trade is challenging due to their complexity and relation to many other articles. And the informal use of mercury remains significant. I expect this workshop will foster the best exchange of experiences to help us move towards a future where mercury is history," she stated.

After panel presentations from the Secretariat, Indonesia, Philippines, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime and Ban Toxics, it was time for the regional groups (Africa, Asia-Pacific and GRULAC) to discuss and identify challenges in the implementation of Article 3.

This event, organized in response to COP decision MC-5/2, aimed to enhance understanding of Article 3 of the Minamata Convention, which deals with supply sources and trade of mercury, particularly regarding imports from non-parties. The insights gathered will aid in developing guidance to control and reduce mercury trade from primary mercury mining.