Events, 06 January 2025
Empowering National Ozone Units in Francophone Africa
Date:
08 June 2024
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) OzonAction Compliance Assistance Programme (CAP), Africa Office-Francophone Network in cooperation with the Government of Mauritania organized a training workshop for new National Ozone Officers (NOOs) and staff of the National Ozone Units (NOUs). The workshop is part of the Regional Network service OzonAction's CAP provides to Article 5 countries in its role as an Implementing Agency of the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol.
The three-day workshop held in Nouakchott, Mauritania from 14 to 16 May 2024 brought together 23 NOOs and NOU staff (9 male, 14 female) from 14 countries (Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Comoros, Congo (Democratic Republic of), Congo (Republic of), Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Togo) and four UNEP OzonAction staff.
Mr. Mohamed El Moustapha Idoumou Abdi Jiyed, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD) of Mauritania, officially opened the meeting together with Ms. Khadijetou Seneh, the National Ozone Officer of Mauritania, and Mr Yamar Guissé, the Montreal Protocol Regional Coordinator for Francophone Africa.
In his opening statement, the Secretary General welcomed the participants and thanked UNEP for choosing Mauritania to host the first ever training of new National Ozone Officers. Mr. Jiyed recalled the milestones achieved by Mauritania in implementing the Montreal Protocol and reiterated the country’s full support for OzonAction activities in the country.
The new NOOs and NOUs were provided with essential information, skills, and key techniques to manage the Montreal Protocol obligations in their countries. The training also provided the new officers with basic knowledge and information tools necessary to support local government counterparts and stakeholders in fulfilling their commitments under the Montreal Protocol and its amendments.
Mr. Lucien Ekou, NOO, Republic of Congo, remarked “I am very happy with this training. Thanks to this training, I feel empowered as a national ozone officer. My gratitude goes to UNEP and the trainers for the quality of the content. Thank you so much.”
Mr. Bidénam Assimti-Tchao, Assistant NOO Togo remarked, “I thank UNEP for this opportunity. I earlier did not have clarity on many aspects of the Montreal Protocol. Now I have a broader understanding of all topics regarding the Ozone layer protection, data reporting, the alternatives, the Montreal Protocol bodies, etc. Thank you. I suggest this training be organized every two to three years. I also suggest a refresher training to existing NOOs.”
The training programme included an understanding of national commitments under the Montreal Protocol, the annual cycle of events, the annual and intermittent reporting requirements to the Ozone Secretariat and Multilateral Fund (MLF) Secretariat as well as MLF project cycles. It also addressed key activities at the national level, such as the effective implementation of MLF projects, and interacting with Ozone Depleting Substances users and other stakeholders.
The training was designed using a series of modules including detailed background information, practical exercise handouts, quizzes, crosswords, innovative activity exercises, evaluation documents, guides for additional work by participants before and after training sessions and lists of useful additional resources.
UNEP OzonAction has also published a guide for new NOOs that serves as a quick reference tool providing comprehensive knowledge of the key issues and topics that new ozone officials and assistants were made aware of to enable them to carry out their duties effectively.
Source
The three-day workshop held in Nouakchott, Mauritania from 14 to 16 May 2024 brought together 23 NOOs and NOU staff (9 male, 14 female) from 14 countries (Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Comoros, Congo (Democratic Republic of), Congo (Republic of), Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Togo) and four UNEP OzonAction staff.
Mr. Mohamed El Moustapha Idoumou Abdi Jiyed, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD) of Mauritania, officially opened the meeting together with Ms. Khadijetou Seneh, the National Ozone Officer of Mauritania, and Mr Yamar Guissé, the Montreal Protocol Regional Coordinator for Francophone Africa.
In his opening statement, the Secretary General welcomed the participants and thanked UNEP for choosing Mauritania to host the first ever training of new National Ozone Officers. Mr. Jiyed recalled the milestones achieved by Mauritania in implementing the Montreal Protocol and reiterated the country’s full support for OzonAction activities in the country.
The new NOOs and NOUs were provided with essential information, skills, and key techniques to manage the Montreal Protocol obligations in their countries. The training also provided the new officers with basic knowledge and information tools necessary to support local government counterparts and stakeholders in fulfilling their commitments under the Montreal Protocol and its amendments.
Mr. Lucien Ekou, NOO, Republic of Congo, remarked “I am very happy with this training. Thanks to this training, I feel empowered as a national ozone officer. My gratitude goes to UNEP and the trainers for the quality of the content. Thank you so much.”
Mr. Bidénam Assimti-Tchao, Assistant NOO Togo remarked, “I thank UNEP for this opportunity. I earlier did not have clarity on many aspects of the Montreal Protocol. Now I have a broader understanding of all topics regarding the Ozone layer protection, data reporting, the alternatives, the Montreal Protocol bodies, etc. Thank you. I suggest this training be organized every two to three years. I also suggest a refresher training to existing NOOs.”
The training programme included an understanding of national commitments under the Montreal Protocol, the annual cycle of events, the annual and intermittent reporting requirements to the Ozone Secretariat and Multilateral Fund (MLF) Secretariat as well as MLF project cycles. It also addressed key activities at the national level, such as the effective implementation of MLF projects, and interacting with Ozone Depleting Substances users and other stakeholders.
The training was designed using a series of modules including detailed background information, practical exercise handouts, quizzes, crosswords, innovative activity exercises, evaluation documents, guides for additional work by participants before and after training sessions and lists of useful additional resources.
UNEP OzonAction has also published a guide for new NOOs that serves as a quick reference tool providing comprehensive knowledge of the key issues and topics that new ozone officials and assistants were made aware of to enable them to carry out their duties effectively.
Source
