Amioun Municipality Hosts an Expanded Environmental Conference on the Role of Municipalities under the Basel Convention

Within the framework of ongoing cooperation between the Al-Fayhaa Union of Municipalities, the Municipality of Amioun, and the Regional Center for Training and Technology Transfer for Arab States affiliated with the Basel Convention, and pursuant to the Memoranda of Understanding signed in October 2025, an expanded environmental conference was convened at the Amioun Municipal Building. The conference aimed to provide a practical and simplified introduction to the principles of environmentally sound waste management in line with the Basel Convention.

The conference brought together the President of the Municipality of Amioun, Mr. Malek Fares, members of the municipal council, representatives of municipal unions and municipalities from northern Lebanon—particularly from the Al-Fayhaa and Koura regions—as well as mukhtars, representatives of environmental and cultural organizations, municipal council members, and stakeholders engaged in environmental and municipal affairs.

The conference was opened by the President of the Al-Fayhaa Union of Municipalities, Engineer Wael Zmorly, who highlighted the importance of coordinated institutional action in addressing growing environmental challenges, particularly in relation to waste management. He underlined the role of the Basel Convention Regional Center for North Africa and West Asia, under the leadership of Dr. Mostafa Hussein Kamel, in supporting municipalities through planning, capacity-building, and the implementation of sustainable waste management solutions.

The first session was chaired by the keynote speaker, Dr. Mostafa Hussein Kamel, Head of the Basel Convention Regional Center for North Africa and West Asia. He outlined the objectives of the conference and its expected outcomes and delivered a technical overview of the Basel Convention and its strategic relevance to Lebanon. Dr. Kamel emphasized the role of the Regional Center in supporting municipalities in strengthening their institutional and technical capacities to address waste management challenges, including the identification and classification of hazardous waste.

The keynote presentation covered the following thematic areas:

·         Core concepts of environmentally sound waste management in accordance with the principles of the Basel Convention;

·         Roles and responsibilities of municipalities and municipal unions in local waste management;

·         Awareness-raising on waste streams and their associated environmental and health risks;

·         Linkages between waste management and the achievement of sustainable development objectives;

·         Opportunities for cooperation and knowledge exchange between municipalities and the Regional Center, as a foundation for future joint programmes.

The second session featured an intervention by sustainable development expert Dr. Hanna Khoury, who addressed the interlinkages between waste management and local economic development. The presentation highlighted opportunities for municipalities to integrate waste management into local development strategies, transforming environmental challenges into sustainable economic opportunities.

In a subsequent presentation, Dr. Rima Al-Turk, Coordinator of the “Zero Waste Cities” Initiative, introduced the Zero Waste Cities approach, emphasizing its relevance as a strategic framework for municipalities. She highlighted the importance of awareness-raising and partnership-building initiatives undertaken in cooperation with the Regional Center for Training and Technology Transfer for Arab States under the Basel Convention.

The conference concluded with an interactive discussion session, enabling participants to exchange perspectives on practical challenges faced by municipalities in the implementation of waste management policies and to explore potential pathways for enhanced cooperation and technical support.

At the closing of the conference, certificates and tokens of appreciation were presented to the speakers, as well as to the President of the Municipality of Amioun and the President of the Al-Fayhaa Union of Municipalities, in recognition of their contributions and support. Participants emphasized the importance of consolidating the outcomes of the conference and translating them into actionable follow-up activities at the municipal level.

Following the conference, Dr. Mostafa Hussein Kamel held a meeting in the Koura region with Mr. Hassan Saqr, during which a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Basel Convention Regional Center and the Koura Renaissance Association, represented by its President, Ms. Majdala Obeid. The Memorandum aims to strengthen cooperation in the areas of environmental awareness, capacity-building, and local engagement.

The conference forms part of the ongoing efforts of the Basel Convention Regional Center to support municipalities in the Arab region in advancing the implementation of environmentally sound waste management practices, in line with the objectives of the Basel Convention and broader sustainable development frameworks.