29 September 2014
Minamata Special High-Level Event Concludes with Five New Parties
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The Minamata Convention on Mercury gained five new parties on 24 September 2014, as Djibouti, Gabon, Guyana, Monaco and Uruguay deposited instruments of ratification at a Special High-Level event at UN Headquarters, New York, which was intended to facilitate the Convention's rapid entry into force.

minamata-mercury24 September 2014: The Minamata Convention on Mercury gained five new parties on 24 September 2014, as Djibouti, Gabon, Guyana, Monaco and Uruguay deposited instruments of ratification at a Special High-Level event at UN Headquarters, New York. The event sought to facilitate the Convention’s rapid entry into force.

An additional 18 countries signed the Convention during the event: Belarus, Cameroon, Croatia, Cyprus, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Latvia, Liberia, Malaysia, Monaco, Montenegro, Poland, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic and Turkey.

The Minamata Convention on Mercury now has 120 signatories and six parties. The US became the first party to the Convention in November 2013. The Convention will enter into force when 50 parties ratify the Convention.

The Convention will be closed for Signature on 9 October 2014. Signing the Convention is a pre-condition for developing countries and countries with economies in transition to access funding for enabling activities, and pre-ratification projects funded through the Global Environment Facility (GEF). [UN Treaty Collection – Status of Convention] [Mercury Convention Press Release] [UNEP Press Release]


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