Representatives of the West Asian, and North African Civil Society, gathered in Muscat, Oman from 3rd to 4th November 2008, to discuss the region’s input to the tenth Global Civil Society Forum (GCSF-10) to be held in February 2009 in Nairobi, Kenya, prior to the 25th session of the UNEP Governing Council / Global Ministerial Environment Forum (25th GC/GMEF), scheduled from 16 to 20 February 2009. Issues to be discussed will include the following:

• UNEP Programme of Work (POW)
• Globalization and the Environment
• Climate Change
• Chemicals Management and Mercury
  - Guidance for identifying populations at risk from mercury exposure
  - Second meeting of the ad hoc OEWG to review and assess measures to address the global    issue of Mercury: 6-10 October 2008
  
• International Environmental Governance
• Opportunities for Major Groups Engagement in the implementation of the POW

The meeting had a wide representation of Arab countries including: Bahrain, Kuwait,Oman, Qatar, UAE, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.