Introductory Meeting on the Basel Convention and Cooperation Between Municipalities and the Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for Arab States

As part of his tour of municipal unions and environmental associations in Lebanon, Dr. Mostafa Hussein Kamel, Regional Director of the Basel Convention and former Minister of Environment of Egypt, paid a visit to northern Lebanon, where he met with Mr. Kabi Boutros, Mayor of Shka, and members of the municipal council.

During the meeting, he was briefed on the major environmental challenges facing the town as a result of industrial pollution.

Following this visit, an expanded environmental meeting was held at the Shka Development Council, attended by several mayors and representatives of municipal unions from the districts of Batroun, Koura, and Zgharta, as well as a representative of the Ministry of Environment, Mr. Baligh Ismail. The event also brought together a large number of environmental experts, activists, civil society organizations, and members of the media.

Opening Remarks

The meeting opened with the Lebanese national anthem, followed by welcoming remarks from Ms. Jessica Najm, member of the Environmental Technical Committee and the Health Committee of Shka Municipality.

She commended Dr. Mostafa Kamel for his continuous commitment to supporting environmental initiatives through the Basel Convention and praised the efforts of Mr. Pierre Abi Chahine, President of the Environmental Protection Authority in Shka, for organizing this event and for his long-standing contribution to environmental knowledge in the region.

Speeches and Interventions

In his address, Mr. Pierre Abi Chahine highlighted the environmental suffering of the region due to industrial pollution and exposure to hazardous substances—particularly asbestos, cement dust, and petcoke.

He called for collective responsibility to eliminate the root causes of disease and pollution, emphasizing that the purpose of this meeting is to activate cooperation with the Basel Regional Centre to develop practical and sustainable solutions for managing industrial and hazardous wastes, thereby improving the quality of life in the region.

Presentation on the Basel Convention and the Role of the Regional Centre

Dr. Mostafa Kamel delivered a comprehensive presentation on the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, explaining that it is an international agreement adopted in 1989 and entered into force in 1992. The Convention aims to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of hazardous wastes and to prevent their uncontrolled disposal.

He also presented the mission and objectives of the Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for Arab States, highlighting its technical assistance and capacity-building programs provided to municipalities and environmental authorities. He noted that 22 countries  across West Asia and  North Africa currently benefit from the Centre’s training and technical programs.

Dr. Kamel further stressed that cooperation with Lebanese municipalities—particularly Shka—can serve as a practical model for implementing environmentally sound management systems for hazardous waste, with a special focus on safe handling and remediation of asbestos in older buildings through the preparation of technical guidelines.

Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding

At the conclusion of the event, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for Arab States in Egypt, represented by its Director, Dr. Mostafa Kamel, and the Environmental Protection Authority in Shka, represented by its President, Mr. Pierre Abi Chahine.

The MoU paves the way for joint projects in the fields of training, expertise exchange, and the implementation of sustainable environmental initiatives.

The meeting concluded with a reception and luncheon held at Al-Faisal Restaurant – Qalamoun, during which participants exchanged ideas on enhancing environmental cooperation between municipalities and the Regional Centre.