Monika Stankiewicz emerges Executive Secretary Minamata Convention

The Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme on Wednesday 6th November 2019 announced the appointment of Ms. Monika Stankiewicz as the Executive Secretary of the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

A statement on Wednesday by Jorge Laguna-Celis, Secretary of Governing Bodies, UN Environment Programme read in part, “On behalf of Ms. Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Monika Stankiewicz as the Executive Secretary of the Minamata Convention.  She will assume her new functions on 16 January 2020.

“Monika has 20 years of experience working on environmental issues, including 13 years – of which 7 years as the Executive Secretary of the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM) an intergovernmental organization and the former Professional Secretary of HELCOM responsible for shipping and cooperation with International Maritime Organization (2006-2011).

“During her tenure, she has cooperated with Multilateral Environment Agreements and UN agencies, such as UNEP and its Regional Seas Programme, the Convention on Biological Diversity, UNESCO, the International Maritime Organization, the Convention on Migratory Species and the Sargasso Sea Commission.

“Leading a team of 30 staff in the Secretariat, Monika was successful in the coordination of activities to identify issues related to sea-based sources of pollution as well as to ensure a swift national and transnational response to marine incidents involving oil as well as hazardous and noxious substances. She advised on the formulation of new policies to address pollution sources at sea, on land and airborne, including in the prioritized areas of hazardous substances, as well as facilitated negotiating processes of the Contracting Parties to agree on common approaches and solutions.

“Monika is a member of the writing team of the chapter on hazardous substances of the 2nd World Ocean Assessment under the UN Regular Process.

“Monika holds a Holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and the Certificate of Postgraduate Studies on European Integration from Gdansk University. She is married and has one child.

“Please join us in welcoming and wishing her success as she prepares to take this position, and to thank Ms. Rossana Silva for her service and dedication as acting Executive Secretary.”