December 1, 2008

56th Meeting approves 116 projects and activities for 65 countries

The 56th Meeting was not only the final Executive Committee meeting of 2008 but also the final of the 2006-2008 triennium.  High on the agenda was further work on the guidelines for costing of the accelerated phase-out of hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) consumption and production in a number of sectors.  The final report on the evaluation of institutional strengthening projects was also presented and had particular significance regarding future discussions on post 2010 funding of institutional strengthening (IS) projects.

The Executive Committee approved 116 projects and activities for 65 countries amounting to $57,347,247 plus US $9,956,600 support costs.   Funding for HPMP preparation was approved for 17 countries, one project in Jordan for the preparation of a demonstration project for the conversion of HCFC to non-HCFC technology in the manufacturing sector and two projects (Brazil and Mexico) to optimize and validate the use of methyl formate as a replacement of HCFC-141b in foam applications. So far, the Committee has approved funding for the preparation of HPMPs in 115 Article 5 countries.

Other projects approved at the 56th Meeting included new terminal phase-out management plans (TPMPs) for Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Suriname and Swaziland; tranches of TPMPs or CFC phase-out plans for 13 countries; projects for methyl bromide phase-out for seven countries including three new agreements and one revised agreement, renewal of IS projects in 25 countries plus one new IS project in Timor Leste;  non-investment activities for metered-dose-inhaler (MDI) transition strategies in Ghana, India, Indonesia and Pakistan; projects for the phase-out of CFC in the manufacture of MDIs in Argentina, China, Colombia, India and Pakistan.   The Executive Committee also approved a bilateral proposal for international methyl bromide compliance workshop for Article 5 countries. 

The outcome of the meeting is summarized in the post meeting summary  (English) while the full report is also availabe in Arabic, Chinese, English, French and Spanish.