The Regional Office for the Near East of the Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is organizing in collaboration with the Plant Protection Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Sudan a follow-up national seminar on the implementation of “Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade”. 

The workshop will take place at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Sudan from 14 – 15 October 2008, with the participation of 27 Sudanese officials representing different sectors related to the chemicals management and trade (pesticides and industrial chemicals). The participants represent the following sectors: agriculture, environment, health, customs, private sectors and NGOs. 

The seminar aims at following up the implementation of the work plan prepared by Sudan to assess the progress, constraints and assistance provided by the convention. 

The seminar will also focus on the Customs Departments to inform them about the Rotterdam Convention and how to recognize the chemicals subjected to the prior informed consent during export and import.