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Programme of work and budget for the biennium 2020–2021

The Conference of the Parties, Recalling its decision MC-1/15 on the programme of work of the secretariat and proposed budget for the biennium 2018–2019,Recalling also its decision MC-2/12 on the update on the budget for 2019,Welcoming the effort undertaken by the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme in preparing an operative proposal, as requested in paragraph 1 of decision MC-2/7, to maximize the effective and efficient use of resources of the Minamata Convention,Welcoming also the annual contribution by Switzerland, the host country of the secretariat, of 1 million Swiss francs, apportioned 60 per cent to the general trust fund and 40 per cent to the special trust fund to be prioritized for the purpose of supporting the participation of representatives from developing countries in the meetings of the Conference of the Parties,Taking note of the contributions paid by the parties to the general trust fund,Noting that the Convention’s full working capital reserve in the general trust fund was established in 2018, and reaffirming that the working capital reserve shall be maintained at the level of 15 per cent of the annual budget,Recognizing with appreciation the contributions and pledges made by Austria, the European Union, Finland, France, Japan, Norway, the Philippines, Sweden and Switzerland to the special trust fund in the biennium 2018−2019,Recognizing also, with appreciation, the contributions and pledges made by Austria, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America to the specific trust fund in the biennium 2018−2019,Recalling its request to the Executive Secretary to prepare a budget for the biennium 2020‑2021, for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its third meeting, in 2019, explaining the key principles, assumptions and programmatic strategy on which the budget is based and presenting expenditures for that biennium in a programmatic format and broken down by budget activities, with each activity to be supported by a budget activity fact sheet,Recalling also its request to the Executive Secretary, in preparing the budgets and programme of work for the biennium 2020‑2021, to present two scenarios:(a)One maintaining the operational budget at the 2019 level in nominal terms;(b)One reflecting required changes to the above-mentioned scenario to meet the projected needs and costs or savings related thereto,Recalling further its request to the Executive Secretary to take into account the operative proposal on a stable framework for sharing of relevant services submitted by the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, including relevant options, in the preparation of the programme of work and budget for the biennium 2020‑2021, pursuant to paragraph 2 of decision MC‑2/7,
1.Invites parties and other stakeholders in a position to do so to provide an in-kind contribution, in the form of a secondment/Junior Professional Officer, to support the operation of the Specific International Programme in the biennium 2020‑2021;

I – General trust fund for the Minamata Convention on Mercury

2.Takes note of the report provided by the Executive Secretary on the main activities of the secretariat in the intersessional period,1 as well as the report on expenditures for the biennium 2018–2019 provided in the information on financial matters;21UNEP/MC/COP.3/19.2UNEP/MC/COP.3/INF/10.
3.Also takes note of the proposed programme of work and budget for the biennium 2020−2021,3 as well as the additional information on financial matters,4 the proposed operational budgets for the two funding scenarios5 and the budget activity fact sheets;63UNEP/MC/COP.3/20.4UNEP/MC/COP.3/INF/10.5UNEP/MC/COP.3/INF/11 and INF/11/Add.1.6UNEP/MC/COP.3/INF/9.
4.Approves the budget for the general trust fund for the biennium 2020−2021 of 7,579,959 United States dollars;
5.Adopts the indicative scale of assessment for the apportionment of expenses for 2020−2021 as set out in table 2 of the present decision and authorizes the Executive Secretary, consistent with the Financial Regulations and Rules of the United Nations, to adjust the scale to include all parties for which the Convention is in force by 1 January 2020;
6.Recalls that contributions to the general trust fund are due by 1 January of the year for which those contributions have been budgeted and at the latest by 31 December of that year, and requests parties to pay their contributions as soon as possible to enable the secretariat to carry out its work;

II – Special trust fund for the Minamata Convention on Mercury

7.Takes note of the update provided by the Executive Secretary on the activities of 2019 and the expenditures for 2018−2019 through the special trust fund as contained in the information on financial matters,7 as well as the report on the main activities of the secretariat in the intersessional period;87UNEP/MC/COP.3/INF/10.8UNEP/MC/COP.3/19.
8.Also takes note of the proposed programme of work and budget for the biennium 2020−2021,9 as well as the additional information on financial matters,10 the proposed operational budgets for the two funding scenarios11 and the budget activity fact sheets;129UNEP/MC/COP.3/20.10UNEP/MC/COP.3/INF/10.11UNEP/MC/COP.3/INF/11 and INF/11/Add.1.12UNEP/MC/COP.3/INF/9.
9.Further takes note of the estimates for the special trust fund for the biennium 2020−2021 of 4,377,620 United States dollars;
10.Notes that the implementation of the planned activities is subject to the availability of resources contributed to the special trust fund;
11.Requests parties to the Convention, and invites non-parties to the Convention and others in a position to do so, to contribute to the special trust fund to support the capacity‑building and technical assistance activities of the secretariat of the Minamata Convention in accordance with article 14 of the Convention;
12.Invites parties and non-parties to the Convention and others in a position to do so to contribute to the special trust fund to support the participation of representatives of parties from developing countries and countries with economies in transition in the meetings of the Conference of the Parties and its subsidiary bodies;

III – Specific Trust Fund for the Minamata Convention on Mercury

13.Takes note of the overall report on the Specific International Programme to Support Capacity‑building and Technical Assistance and the specific trust fund established for those activities;1313UNEP/MC/COP.3/10.
14.Invites parties and non-parties to the Convention and others in a position to do so to contribute to the specific trust fund to support capacity‑building and technical assistance activities in accordance with article 13 of the Convention;

IV – Preparations for the biennium 2022–2023

15.Requests the Executive Secretary to prepare a budget for the biennium 2022–2023 for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its fourth meeting, in 2021, explaining the key principles, assumptions and programmatic strategy on which the budget is based and presenting expenditures for that biennium in a programmatic format and broken down by budget activities, with each activity to be supported by a budget activity fact sheet;
16.Also requests the Executive Secretary, in preparing the budget and programme of work for the biennium 2022–2023, to present two scenarios:
(c)One maintaining the operational budget at the 2020−2021 level in nominal terms;
(d)One reflecting required changes to the above-mentioned scenario to meet the projected needs and costs or savings related thereto, which should not exceed a 5 per cent increase over the 2020‑2021 level in nominal terms;
17.Stresses the need to ensure that the budget proposals are realistic and represent the agreed priorities of all parties to help ensure a sustainable and stable fund and cash balance, including contributions received;
18.Requests the Executive Secretary, in keeping with paragraph 8 of rule 5 of the Financial Rules of the Minamata Convention, to acknowledge promptly the receipt of all pledges and contributions and inform the parties thereof by publishing on the Convention website up-to-date information on the status of pledges and payments of contributions, and also requests the Executive Secretary to provide detailed, up-to-date information on actual income and expenses of the three trust funds;
19.Also requests the Executive Secretary, at the meetings of the Conference of the Parties, to provide, where relevant, cost estimates for actions that have budgetary implications that are not foreseen in the draft programme of work but are included in proposed draft decisions before the adoption of those decisions by the Conference of the Parties.

Table 1 – Programme of work and budget for the biennium 2020−2021

(in United States dollars)
Activity NumberActivity (2020)(2021)
  General Trust FundSpecial Trust FundGeneral Trust FundSpecial Trust Fund
A.Conferences and meetings    
1Fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties    
 1.1 Fourth meeting  1 055 000425 000
 1.2 Regional preparatory meetings   420 000
 1.3 Intersessional time-based expert groups mandated by the Conference of the Parties100 00085 000 100 000
 Component total100 000 85 000 1 055 000 945 000
2Bureau of the Conference of the Parties    
 2.1 Meeting of the Bureau  26 000 
 Component total  26 000  
3Implementation and Compliance Committee    
 3.1 Meeting of the Committee  53 000 
 Component total  53 000  
 Total (A)100 000 85 000 1 134 000 945 000
B.Capacity‑building and technical assistance    
4Capacity‑building and technical assistance programme of the Minamata Convention    
 4.1 Tools and methodologies 40,000 60 000
 4.2 Specific capacity development activities 270 000 270 000
 4.3 Capacity‑building activities on request 45 000 90 000
 4.4 Cross-cutting activities 230 000 230 000
 Component total 585 000  650 000
 Total (B) 585 000  650 000
C.Scientific and technical activities    
5Scientific support to the States parties to the Minamata Convention    
 5.1 Information collection and analysis on customs codes/products and processes30 000 30 000 
 5.2 Updating of guidance on ASGM national action plans 50 000 50 000
 5.3 Updating/development of guidance on mercury emissions/releases 50 000 50 000
 5.4 Information collection and analysis on mercury waste and contaminated sites30 00020 00030 00020 000
 5.5 Cross-cutting scientific and technical activities 500 000 400 000
 Component total60 000 620 000 60 000 520 000
6Effectiveness evaluationa    
 6.1 Development of draft guidance on monitoring85 000150 00085 000 
 6.2 Development of trade, supply and demand report  200 000 
 Component total85 000 150 000 285 000  
7National reporting under the Minamata Convention    
 7.1 National reporting under the Minamata Convention40 000 76 500 
 Component total40 000  76 500  
 Total (C)185 000 770 000 421 500 520 000
D.Knowledge and information management, and outreach     
8Publications    
 8.1 Publications25 00030 00020 00030 000
 Component total25 000 30 000 20 000 30 000
9Communication, outreach and public awareness    
 9.1 Communication, outreach and public awareness85 00025 00070 000 
 Component total85 000 25 000 70 000  
 Total (D)110 000 55 000 90 000 30 000
E.Overall management    
10Executive direction and management    
 10.1 Overall management*1 967 600 2 026 328 
 10.2 Staff travel140 000 140 000 
 Component total2 107 600  2 166 328  
11International cooperation and coordination    
 11.1 Cooperation on the broader sustainable development and environment agenda    
 11.2 Cooperation within the chemicals and waste cluster    
 11.3 Other cooperation and coordination    
 Component total    
12Financial resources and mechanism     
 12.1 Financial mechanism    
 12.2 Financial resources    
 Component total     
 Total (E)2 107 600  2 166 328  
F.Legal and policy activities    
13Legal and policy activities     
 13.1 SDGs and gender 120 000 114 000
 Component total  120 000  114 000
 Total (F) 120 000 114 000
G.Office maintenance and services    
14Office maintenance and services    
 14.1 Office maintenance and services145 000 145 000 
 Component total145 000  145 000  
15Information technology services    
 15.1 Information technology services53 500 50 000 
 Component total53 500  50 000  
 Total (G)198 500  195 000  
 Resources required for all activities    
 Total direct costs (excluding programme support costs) (A to G)2 701 100 1 615 000 4 006 828 2 259 000
 Programme support costs (13%)351 143209 950520 888293 670
 Grand total (including programme support costs)3 052 243 1 824 950 4 527 716 2 552 670
aActivity 6, effectiveness evaluation, was adjusted by the secretariat as requested by the Conference of the Parties at its third meeting.*On an exceptional basis, and only after cost savings and efficiency efforts have been exhausted, the Executive Secretary may draw from the working capital reserve to meet any liabilities resulting from a final decision in ongoing litigation by the Geneva-based staff.

Table 2 – Overview of the indicative scale of assessment and contributions to the General Trust Fund for 2020‑2021

PartyUnited Nations scale of assessment (%)Minamata scale with 22% ceiling and 0.010% base (%)Total contributions (2020‑2021)
African States (32)
1.Benin0.0030.0100646
2.Botswana0.0140.01721 109
3.Burkina Faso0.0030.0100646
4.Chad0.0040.0100646
5.Comoros0.0010.0100646
6.Congo0.0060.0100646
7.Côte d’Ivoire0.0130.01591 030
8.Djibouti0.0010.0100646
9.Equatorial Guinea0.0160.01961 267
10.Eswatini0.0020.0100646
11.Gabon0.0150.01841 188
12.Gambia0.0010.0100646
13.Ghana0.0150.01841 188
14.Guinea0.0030.0100646
15.Guinea‑Bissau0.0010.0100646
16.Lesotho0.0010.0100646
17.Madagascar0.0040.0100646
18.Mali0.0040.0100646
19.Mauritania0.0020.0100646
20.Mauritius0.0110.0135871
21.Namibia0.0090.0110713
22.Niger0.0020.0100646
23.Nigeria0.250.306319 799
24.Rwanda0.0030.0100646
25.Sao Tome and Principe0.0010.0100646
26.Senegal0.0070.0100646
27.Seychelles0.0020.0100646
28.Sierra Leone0.0010.0100646
29.South Africa0.2720.333321 541
30.Togo0.0020.0100646
31.Uganda0.0080.0100646
32.Zambia0.0090.0110713
Asia-Pacific States (27)
33.Afghanistan0.0070.0100646
34.China12.00514.7103950 747
35.India0.8341.021966 049
36.Indonesia0.5430.665443 003
37.Iran (Islamic Republic of)0.3980.487731 520
38.Japan8.56410.4939678 234
39.Jordan0.0210.02571 663
40.Kiribati0.0010.0100646
41.Kuwait0.2520.308819 957
42.Lao People's Democratic Republic0.0050.0100646
43.Lebanon0.0470.05763 722
44.Marshall Islands0.0010.0100646
45.Mongolia0.0050.0100646
46.Palau0.0010.0100646
47.Republic of Korea2.2672.7779179 537
48.Samoa0.0010.0100646
49.Saudi Arabia1.1721.436192 818
50.Singapore0.4850.594338 410
51.Sri Lanka0.0440.05393 485
52.State of Palestine0.0080.0100646
53.Syrian Arab Republic0.0110.0135871
54.Thailand0.3070.376224 313
55.Tonga0.0010.0100646
56.Tuvalu0.0010.0100646
57.United Arab Emirates0.6160.754848 785
58.Vanuatu0.0010.0100646
59.Viet Nam0.0770.09446 098
Central and Eastern European States (13)
60.Armenia0.0070.0100646
61.Bulgaria0.0460.05643 643
62.Croatia0.0770.09446 098
63.Czechia0.3110.381124 630
64.Estonia0.0390.04783 089
65.Hungary0.2060.252416 314
66.Latvia0.0470.05763 722
67.Lithuania0.0710.08705 623
68.Montenegro0.0040.0100646
69.Republic of Moldova0.0030.0100646
70.Romania0.1980.242615 681
71.Slovakia0.1530.187512 117
72.Slovenia0.0760.09316 019
Latin America and Caribbean States (23)
73.Antigua and Barbuda0.0020.0100646
74.Argentina0.9151.121272 464
75.Bolivia (Plurinational State of)0.0160.01961 267
76.Brazil2.9483.6123233 470
77.Chile0.4070.498732 233
78.Colombia0.2880.352922 808
79.Costa Rica0.0620.07604 910
80.Cuba0.080.09806 336
81.Dominican Republic0.0530.06494 197
82.Ecuador0.080.09806 336
83.El Salvador0.0120.0147950
84.Guyana0.0020.0100646
85.Honduras0.0090.0110713
86.Jamaica0.0080.0100646
87.Mexico1.2921.5832102 321
88.Nicaragua0.0050.0100646
89.Panama0.0450.05513 564
90.Paraguay0.0160.01961 267
91.Peru0.1520.186312 038
92.Saint Kitts and Nevis0.0010.0100646
93.Saint Lucia0.0010.0100646
94.Suriname0.0050.0100646
95.Uruguay0.0870.10666 890
Western European and other States (21)
96.Austria0.6770.829653 616
97.Belgium0.8211.006065 020
98.Canada2.7343.3501216 522
99.Denmark0.5540.678843 875
100.European Union2.52.5000161 578
101.Finland0.4210.515933 341
102.France4.4275.4246350 600
103.Germany6.097.4624482 303
104.Iceland0.0280.03432 217
105.Ireland0.3710.454629 382
106.Liechtenstein0.0090.0110713
107.Luxembourg0.0670.08215 306
108.Malta0.0170.02081 346
109.Monaco0.0110.0135871
110.Netherlands1.3561.6616107 390
111.Norway0.7540.923959 714
112.Portugal0.350.428927 719
113.Sweden0.9061.110271 751
114.Switzerland1.1511.410491 154
115.United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland4.5675.5962361 688
116.United States of America22.00022.00001 421 885
Total assessed contributions100.006 463 115
Total budget(Including host country contribution*)7 579 959
*Includes (estimated) host country contribution of Switzerland to the General Trust Fund in United States dollars.

Table 3 – Indicative staffing requirements

(in United States dollars)
Staff positionsNo.Total costs for biennium 2020‑2021 (Geneva standard salary costs)
D-1 Executive Secretary1537 544
P-5 Coordination and policy1482 328
P-4 Science and technology1414 120
P-4 Capacity‑building and technical assistance1414 120
P-3 Communication and Knowledge Management1341 852
P-3 Programme Officer (Reporting, effectiveness evaluation)1341 852
P-3 Legal Officer1341 852
GS Programme assistance41 100 260
Total staff costs (in United States dollars)113 973 928
[Note: In addition to the staff indicated above, the posts of one P-4 Administrative Officer and one GS-6 Finance and Budget Assistant will be funded from programme support costs.]

Table 4 – Organizational chart of the Secretariat of the Minamata Convention