Sexta reunión de la Conferencia de las Partes en el Convenio de Minamata sobre el Mercurio (COP-6)

The Minamata Convention entered into force on 16 August 2017, the 90th day after the date of deposit of the 50th instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession. For each State or regional economic integration organization that ratifies, accepts or approves the Convention or accedes thereto after the deposit of this 50th instrument, the Convention will enter into force on the 90th day after the date of deposit by such State or regional economic integration organization of its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession. Hence, in order to be Parties to the Minamata Convention at the time of the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties, countries and regional economic integration organizations that have not yet done so should deposit their instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with the United Nations Secretary-General, who is the depository of the Convention, no later than 4 August 2025. The updated list of Parties can be found on the Convention website.

Como en años anteriores, el registro de delegados se realiza en dos pasos:

1. Registro en línea: Los nombres, títulos e información de contacto de sus representantes designados para atender la sexta reunión de la Conferencia de las Partes deben ser comunicados a la Secretaría mediante la plataforma de registro en línea Kronos, que estará disponible desde el 7 de julio de 2025. El enlace individual de acceso con las instrucciones será enviado a los Puntos Focales Nacionales y/o a las Misiones Permanentes ante el PNUMA y la ONU en Ginebra. Se les invita a verificar los datos de contacto de los Puntos Focales Nacionales y notificar a la Secretaría cualquier actualización. En el Anexo III de la presente carta figura la lista de los puntos focales nacionales.
2. Envío de documentos de respaldo: las Partes deben enviar a la Secretaría (MEA-MinamataMeetings [at] un.org (MEA-MinamataMeetings[at]un[dot]org)) una carta oficial de nominación del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores o una Nota Verbal de la Misión Permanente ante la ONU en Ginebra con los nombres y datos de contacto de los representantes. Documentos emitidos por otras entidades no serán aceptados.

La fecha límite para el registro en línea y el envío de la carta de nominación para todas las Partes que no soliciten apoyo para viajes es el 24 de octubre de 2025.

Se podrá conceder ayuda financiera para apoyar la participación de un delegado por cada país Parte en desarrollo elegible. La ayuda para el viaje debe solicitarse claramente y el participante patrocinado debe especificarse claramente en la carta de nominación oficial. La fecha límite para la inscripción en línea y para el envío de la carta de nominación oficial de los delegados patrocinados es el 5 de septiembre de 2025.

El registro en el sitio será posible, pero se anticipan tiempos de espera prolongados. Se recomienda encarecidamente registrarse con antelación.

La validación del registro queda sujeta a la entrega completa de toda la información requerida y a la confirmación de la Secretaría. Se ruega no hacer arreglos de viaje antes de recibir la confirmación por parte de la Secretaría. Una vez validado el registro en Kronos, cada miembro de la delegación recibirá un correo de confirmación con más información logística.

Para participar en la toma de decisiones durante la reunión, las Partes deben estar acreditadas. Las credenciales del jefe de delegación y sus representantes deben ser emitidas por el Jefe de Estado o de Gobierno o por el Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores. Para organizaciones regionales de integración económica, las credenciales deben ser emitidas por su autoridad competente. La información relativa a cualquier cambio en la composición de la delegación deberá presentarse siguiendo el mismo procedimiento.

Las muestras de credenciales están disponibles en árabe, chino, inglés, francés, ruso y español.

Las credenciales originales deberán presentarse a la Secretaría a más tardar veinticuatro horas después de la apertura de la reunión (por lo tanto, antes de las 10.00 horas del martes 4 de noviembre de 2025). Para facilitar el proceso de autorización, se invita a las Partes a presentar sus credenciales originales antes de la reunión, preferiblemente antes del 17 de octubre de 2025, a:

Secretaria Ejecutiva
Secretaría del Convenio de Minamata sobre el Mercurio
Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Medio Ambiente
Avenue de la Paix 8-14, 1211
Ginebra 10, Suiza

Si no se presentan antes de la reunión, las Partes pueden entregar las credenciales originales de sus representantes en el mostrador de inscripción a su llegada al lugar de la reunión el primer día de esta.

Pueden enviarse copias electrónicas anticipadas de las credenciales a MEA-MinamataMeetings [at] un.org.

Financial assistance may be available to support the participation of one participant per eligible developing country Party. The assistance will include daily subsistence allowance (DSA) at United Nations rate and round-trip economy ticket. The sponsored participant must be clearly specified in the official nomination letter. 

Important: the deadline for registration in the online platform and for sending the official nomination letter for sponsored delegates is 5 September 2025. 

Once confirmed for participation, the sponsored participants will receive additional instructions on their travel arrangements. Air travel will be arranged according to the United Nations regulations, via the most economical and direct means possible in all cases. Please note that changes to air tickets after they have been issued will not be permitted.

In order to facilitate the payment of subsistence allowance at the venue, sponsored participants will be requested to submit copies of their passport and boarding passes to the Secretariat staff at the location and time indicated during the meeting. For any query related to travel and DSA, sponsored participants are invited to contact the Secretariat at: mea-minamatameetings [at] un.org.

Participants are responsible for making their own accommodation arrangements in advance of the meeting and for covering any associated incurred costs. The Secretariat encourages all Parties to make such arrangements at the earliest possible opportunity.

Please note that accommodation support for the non-sponsored governments and NGO representatives participating at the COP-6 may be provided by International Geneva Welcome Centre (CAGI). Please check CAGI website or contact delegates.cagi [at] etat.ge.ch for more details about the eligibility criteria and the conditions that apply.

An updated list of hotels offering preferential rates to the United Nations is available here.

Todos los participantes deben obtener por su cuenta el visado para entrar a Suiza y los visados de tránsito correspondientes. La Secretaría puede emitir cartas de apoyo si se solicitan.

Rule 6 of the rules of procedure for the Conference of the Parties provides that the United Nations, its specialized agencies, the International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as any State not party to the Convention and any entity operating the mechanism referred to in paragraph 5 of Article 13 of the Convention, may, upon the invitation of the President, participate in the proceedings of any meeting without the right to vote, unless at least one-third of the Parties present at the meeting object.

Rule 7 of the rules of procedure provides that any body or agency, whether national or international, governmental or non-governmental, admitted as an observer may, upon the invitation of the President, participate without the right to vote in the proceedings of any meeting in matters of direct concern to the body or agency they represent, unless at least one-third of the Parties present at the meeting object.

Upon invitation by the President, observers may present their statements orally. The number of oral statements to be delivered at the meeting depends on the time available. With respect to NGOs, preference will be given to those speaking on behalf of groups of organizations or coalitions. Written statements could also be submitted in one of the official languages of the United Nations (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, or Spanish).

Organizations approved to participate in the previous meetings of the Conference of the Parties do not need to resubmit such application for admission. See organizations listed in documents UNEP/MC/COP.1/INF/16, UNEP/MC/COP.2/INF/19, UNEP/MC/COP.3/INF/27, UNEP/MC/COP.4/INF/28/Rev.1 and UNEP/MC/COP.5/INF/39.

Organizations wishing to obtain observership status should submit to the Secretariat by e-mail: mea-minamatameetings [at] un.org at least two months prior to the opening of the meeting, an application for admission as an observer at meetings of the COP, including information demonstrating it is qualified in matters covered by the Convention. The Secretariat will screen the applications to check their completeness and conformity with the requirements of the Convention. Successful applications will be submitted to COP-6.

Further information with regard to the participation of observers in meetings of the Conference of the Parties may be found on the website.

Media professionals that represent bona fide media organizations (formally registered as a media organization in a country recognized by the United Nations General Assembly) are invited to attend the sixth meeting of the Minamata Convention (COP-6) taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, from 3 to 7 November 2025. By following the accreditation process, each journalist can be issued with credentials to enable access to the plenary sessions, side events and exhibition area.

Media admittance follows the Guidelines for Media accreditation and access.

Accreditation will be granted upon presentation of valid press credentials, including each of the following:

1. Completed Accreditation Form
2. Letter of assignment on the official letterhead of a media organization signed by the publisher/assignment editor, editor-in-chief or bureau chief, specifying the name and functional title of the journalist. Unsigned letters or e-mails will not be accepted;
3. Photocopy of a valid press card/work pass; and
4. Photocopy of passport/national ID card.

Please submit the Accreditation Form together with the documents listed above as soon as possible to the Secretariat through the Communications and Knowledge Management Officer, Anna García Sans at anna.garcia [at] un.org.

Note that double accreditation is not allowed (e.g. as press and delegate, or as press and nongovernmental organization).

The sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, from Monday, 3 November to 7 November 2025. Regional consultations and other preparatory meetings will take place in the afternoon of Sunday, 2 November 2025.

The meeting will be held at:

Geneva International Conference Centre – Centre International de Conférences Genève (CICG)
Rue de Varembé 17. 1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland
Tel.: + 41 (0) 22 791 91 11, Fax: + 41 (0) 22 791 90 64
Website: www.cicg.ch

Internet access

Free wireless internet access is available in all conference and meeting rooms and in the public areas of the CICG.

Restaurants / Catering services

Catering services for lunch will be available at the Geneva International Conference Centre, at the bar and restaurant located on the ground and first-floor levels. Other cafes, restaurants and shops are within walking distance of the meeting venue.

Banking facilities

Banking services are available at the nearby area, the closest one being UBS Switzerland AG Vermont-Nations located at Chemin Camille-Vidart 17b, 1202 Geneva.

Participants are requested to register online in advance of the meeting and obtain their meeting badge at the registration desk at the venue, upon presentation of one of the following valid identification documents, in Latin alphabets:

• Valid national passport issued by a government recognized by the United Nations;
• Valid national ID cards issued by a Schengen State;
• Valid travel document recognized by the UN.

The registration counter is located on the ground floor of the CICG and will have the following opening hours:

• Sunday, 2 November: 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 pm
• Monday to Friday, 3 November to 7 November: 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 pm

Access to the meeting venue is subject to the presentation of a valid meeting badge. For security reasons, the display of conference badge is mandatory at all times to get access to the meeting venue and meeting rooms. Any loss of a conference badge should be reported immediately to the registration counter.

Delegates are encouraged to obtain their conference badge/register prior to the morning of 3 November to reduce the queuing and lineups on the day of the official opening.

NOTE: Only the names of duly registered participants will be included in the list of participants of the meeting.

La apertura oficial de la COP-6 tendrá lugar el lunes 3 de noviembre de 2025 a las 10.00 horas. Está previsto que las sesiones plenarias de la reunión se celebren diariamente de 10.00 a 13.00 horas y de 15.00 a 18.00 horas. Las sesiones plenarias de la reunión se retransmitirán en directo en 6 idiomas a través de la página web de la COP-6 y del canal de YouTube.

Las Naciones Unidas publicaron el Código de Conducta para prevenir el acoso, incluido el acoso sexual, en los eventos del Sistema de las Naciones Unidas, que incluyen reuniones, conferencias, eventos paralelos, talleres y otros eventos organizados en el marco del Convenio de Minamata sobre el Mercurio. La Secretaría del Convenio de Minamata se compromete a facilitar eventos en los que todos puedan participar en un entorno inclusivo, respetuoso y seguro. Se invita a los delegados a familiarizarse con el Código de Conducta, al que pueden acceder aquí.

The Minamata Convention Secretariat has taken steps to enhance and promote the environmental sustainability of its activities, including in the preparation and conduct of its meetings.

The sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention (COP-6) will be conducted in accordance with the Secretariat’s environmental sustainability efforts. A number of measures will be put in place to reduce the environmental impact of COP-6 and offset unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions related to it.

The Secretariat will work with the Geneva International Conference Centre (CICG) and the caterer to reduce the environmental impact of their services. CICG and the caterer have adopted several measures to reduce their environmental footprint. For more information on the environmental measures taken by CICG, please consult the environmental chart of the Foundation for Buildings for International Organizations (FIPOI).

All participants have an essential role to play in reducing the environmental footprint of COP-6, and your support in this important effort is greatly appreciated.

Sustainability measures that will be adopted at the venue

Reducing waste production: COP-6 will aim at reducing wastes, especially plastic waste, at the meeting venue, in collaboration with CICG and the caterer:

1. The use of plastic in containers, bottles, sandwich wraps, cutlery and cups will be minimized and replaced with alternatives. Please see below a table of items that will be available at COP-6, and suggested actions to reduce waste production;
2. Participants are strongly encouraged to bring refillable drinking containers (cups, mugs, bottles) to be used at the Café/Restaurant and hydration stations located throughout the venue;
3. A discount on hot drinks will be offered by the caterer at the Café le 6ème Continent (Ground Floor) and at the Restaurant (First Floor) to the participants who use their own reusable cups;
4. The venue has a recycling programme, and recycling bins are disposed in various locations throughout the venue.

Paperless meeting: The meeting will be paperless and printed documents will not be provided. Pre-session documents will be available on the meeting’s website and in-session documents (such as conference room papers) will be available electronically via the COP-6 webpage. Participants are encouraged to bring laptops or tablets.

Suggested actions for participants to support greening COP-6

Participants who organize their own travel to and from Geneva are encouraged to take the following actions:

1. Calculate the CO2 emissions related to their travels, using the ICAO flight emissions calculator;
2. Offset their emissions, using the United Nations carbon offset platform and sending a copy of the attestation to the Secretariat at mea-minamatameetings [at] un.org to help track progress in offsetting COP-6 emissions;
3. Replace short flights with rail trips, where possible;
4. Opt for direct routes that avoid additional emissions associated with multiple take-offs and landings;
5. Voluntarily lower the flight class to avoid the higher footprint of business class trips;
6. Use sustainable transportation, including buses, biking, walking, or carpooling for local trips where possible;
7. Shift meals to plant-based, locally produced, in-season, or eco-certified alternatives where possible;
8. Seek out accommodations that have a green guest program or have earned an eco-certification;
9. Stay at accommodations that are within walking distance of the meeting venue;
10. Reduce food waste and other waste;
11. Bring refillable drinking containers (cups, mugs, bottles) to be used at the Café/Restaurant and hydration stations;
12. Download any electronic documents for use onsite. Printed copies will not be provided, but participants will be able to recharge their devices;
13. Participate in the venue's recycling program.

The following items will be available at the COP venue. Please consider suggested actions to reduce waste and make COP-6 greener.

Thank you for your effort to #greeningCOP6!

For more information, please contact Maria Irene Rizzo, Associate Expert, at irene.rizzo [at] un.org.

*Some of these actions are drawn from the document “United Nations Ozone Secretariat Event EMS Green Travel and Event Tips”.

El CICG dispone de servicios de primeros auxilios y de atención médica de urgencia. Los delegados con una enfermedad crónica deberán llevar consigo todos los medicamentos y artículos médicos necesarios durante todo el viaje, en sus envases originales, claramente etiquetados.

Se aconseja a los delegados que contraten un seguro médico con cobertura adecuada en el extranjero, es decir, accidente, enfermedad, repatriación sanitaria y fallecimiento. Las Naciones Unidas no cubren los seguros de vida o médicos de los participantes. Por lo tanto, es responsabilidad de los participantes o de sus Gobiernos obtener un seguro adecuado antes de viajar a Suiza.

Se invita a los participantes con problemas de movilidad que requieran arreglos especiales a ponerse en contacto con la Secretaría del Convenio de Minamata antes de la reunión en: mea-minamatameetings [at] un.org

Currency and rate of exchange

Swiss Franc (CHF). Average exchange rates, as of 8 April 2025: 1 CHF ~1.17 USD. Major credit cards are accepted in most hotels and restaurants in Switzerland.

Electricity

Participants are kindly requested to bring their own power adaptors.

Voltage: 220 volts.
Frequency: 50 Hz.
Plug/socket: C (CEE 7/16), J.

Time zone

Switzerland is in CET time zone (UTC+1).

Para más información sobre la reunión, no dude en ponerse en contacto con la Secretaría, por correo electrónico a MEA-MinamataMeetings [at] un.org, o consultar nuestra página web.