Bureau of the Conference and the Working Group

The Overarching Policy Strategy, in its paragraph 27, envisages the establishment of a bureau of the Conference in accordance with the rules of procedure. The bureau was fully established at the second session of the Conference and confirmed upon the adoption of the rules of procedure. According to the rule 14 of the Conference rules of procedure, the bureau shall be elected by and from among the representatives of the governmental participants present at each session. These elected governmental participants shall serve as the Bureau of each session of the Conference. These officers shall commence their term at the closure of each session of the Conference and shall serve until the closure of the next Conference session. The secretariat services the meetings of the Bureau.

The Bureau advises the President and the secretariat on the conduct of the business of the Conference and its subsidiary bodies. According to resolution II/6 on the establishment of an Open-ended Working Group, the Bureau of the Conference also serves as the Bureau of the Open-ended Working Group.

Composition of the Bureau in office until the closure of the Fifth session of the Conference

President of the Conference

• Dr. Anita Breyer (Germany) 



Dr. Breyer studied economics at the University of Kiel (Germany) and at the University of Illinois (Urbana-Campaign, USA), where she obtained a MA degree.

In 1989, she received a PhD in Economics following graduate studies at the Université Catholique de Louvain (Belgium) and the University of Bonn (Germany).

Dr. Breyer began her career in investment banking at the WestLB, in Düsseldorf, Germany in 1989. Since 1990, she has served in several roles in the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection in Germany, including in the Nature Protection, Nuclear Safety and in Immission Control Directorates. Between 2018-2020, Dr. Breyer was the Deputy Director-General in the Immission Control, Transport and Safety of Installations Directorate.

Since 2020, she has been Director-General for Immission Control, Transport, Safety of Installations, Chemical Safety and Environmental Health.

Vice-Presidents

• Mr. David Kapindula (Zambia)
• Shri Naresh Pal Gangwar (India)
• Mr. Szymon Domagalski (Poland)
• Ms. Valentina Sierra (Uruguay)

Consistent with the multi-sectoral character of SAICM and in accordance with rule 15 of the Conference's rules of procedure, four representatives of non-governmental participants as well as the chair of the Inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals (IOMC) participate in Bureau meetings. The following were elected by and from non-governmental participants at the fourth session to represent each of the health, industry, trade union, and public interest groups (the chair of the IOMC is elected by the IOMC Participating Organizations):

• Ms. Sara Brosche (International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN))
• Ms. Gabriela Eigenmann (United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)), current chair of the IOMC, participates in Bureau meetings as the IOMC representative
• Mr. Rory O'Neill (International Trade Union Confederation)
• Ms. Servet Goren (International Council of Chemical Associations)
• Ms. Susan Wilburn (Health Care Without Harm)

As envisaged in resolution II/2 on regional activities and coordination, the regional focal points will assist the Bureau members of their respective regions, in particular by channeling necessary information and views from the region to them. The Bureau has invited regional focal points to participate in Bureau meetings.

SAICM Regional Focal Points

• Mr. Francisco Barbieri (Argentina for Latin America and the Caribbean)
• Mr. Abbas Torabi (Iran for Asia-Pacific)
• Mr. Santos Virgílio (Angola for Africa)
• Ms. Victoria Tunstall (Canada for Western Europe and Others)
• Ms. Suzana Andonova (North Macedonia for Central and Eastern Europe)