The Africa Institute for the Environmentally Sound Management of Hazardous and Other Wastes, commonly known as the Africa Institute, is both a Basel Convention Regional Centre (BCRC) and a Stockholm Convention Regional Centre (SCRC) for English speaking African countries.  It has been established as an Intergovernmental Organization (IGO) based in Pretoria, South Africa. It began operating in October 2009.  As an Intergovernmental Organization, its supreme governing body known as Council is composed of the representatives of its member countries.

 

The Africa Institute is established in accordance with Articles 14 of the Basel Convention and Article 12 of the Stockholm Convention.  These Articles make provision for the establishment of regional centres to assist Parties in the developing countries and countries with economies in transition to fulfil their obligations under these conventions.  As a regional centre the mandate of the Africa Institute is therefore in consonance with that of the Basel and Stockholm conventions and the Institute provides a coordination mechanism within the Africa region.

 

In keeping with the synergy decision that was taken by the Parties to the Basel, Stockholm and Rotterdam conventions, the Africa Institute also serves within the region to address the Rotterdam convention capacity building initiatives as well.  The Institute posits itself as a suitable vehicle that the countries in the region will use to also implement the Mercury treaty.