30 June 2011: The Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention has released the June edition of its Technical Assistance newsletter. The newsletter includes articles on: the programme of technical assistance activities planned from 2012-2013; a regional workshop in new persistent organic pollutants (POPs) held in Armenia; and a request for information on technical and financial needs to implement the Convention.

According to the newsletter, the Secretariat is collecting information on technical and financial needs of parties in order to develop an assessment of funding needs for the consideration of the Sixth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 6), scheduled to convene in May 2013. The assessment is expected to serve as an input for the next Global Environment Facility (GEF) replenishment. The Secretariat is also preparing a report on the availability of financial resources, addition to those provided by GEF. [Technical Assistance newsletter]