Oil Minister meets Ecuadorian Ambassador to UK

New York, Dr. Mohamed bin Mubarak Bin Dainah, Minister of Oil and Environment and Special Envoy for Climate Affairs, met with Luis Vayas Valdivieso, Ecuador's Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The minister commended the vital role of the INC's Secretariat in facilitating the committee's tasks and progressing towards finalising the legally binding instrument by the end of this year, in line with the United Nations Environment Assembly resolution 5/14. He emphasised that Bahrain, as part of the GCC negotiation team, values the Secretariat's efforts in this regard. He further noted that the legally binding instrument must address the improper management of plastic waste, highlighting that plastic has become a key material in various industries and sectors. Therefore,he said, it is essential to ens ure that the instrument does not negatively impact countries from both economic and social perspectives. The minister also stressed the importance of international cooperation to mitigate pollution resulting from improper plastic waste management. Both parties reviewed Bahrain's efforts and initiatives to reduce plastic pollution since 2019, aligning with UN calls and global trends on this issue. Source: Bahrain News Agency