Vietnamese delegation attends the Sixth Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (COP-6)

With the consent of the Government and the Ministry of Industry and Trade , the Vietnamese delegation, including Mr. Pham Huy Nam Son, Deputy Director of the Department of Chemicals (Head of the delegation), and Mr. Dao Manh Hung, Acting Director of the Center for Incident Response and Chemical Safety (Department of Chemicals, Ministry of Industry and Trade), attended the Sixth Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (COP-6). The event took place in Geneva, Switzerland, from November 3–7, 2025, bringing together more than 1,000 delegates from countries, international organizations and civil society, with a commitment to promoting global efforts towards the goal of “mercury elimination”.

The opening ceremony of COP-6 was held at the Geneva International Conference Centre (CICG) with the participation of representatives of governments , UN agencies, NGOs, indigenous communities and youth. The entire plenary session was broadcast live in the six official languages of the United Nations.

At COP-6, Parties considered a number of key issues, including preventing illicit trade in mercury, controlling supply and mercury compounds, and assessing progress in reducing emissions from artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), the largest global source. Discussions also highlighted cooperation with the Intergovernmental Science -Policy Council on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution, the Global Framework for Chemicals, and other multilateral environmental agreements, to advance common goals on chemicals, waste and health.

Ms. Elizabeth Mrema, Deputy Executive Director of UNEP, affirmed that the Minamata Convention is “a model of cooperative action based on science and global solidarity”.

The Swiss representative, Ms. Katrin Schneeberger, emphasized that the life-cycle approach of the Convention is a model for global pollution management.

Ms. Monika Stankiewicz, Executive Secretary of the Convention, appreciated the progress of the Parties since the previous session, while warning that illegal mercury trade and the use of mercury in cosmetics remain major challenges.

COP-6 President Osvaldo Álvarez Pérez called on countries to strengthen connectivity of initiatives and ensure progress is measured with transparent data.

Prior to the opening ceremony, the public event “From Science to Action: Protecting the Amazon from Mercury Pollution” took place, featuring National Geographic explorer Fernando Trujillo and Aileen Mioko Smith, co-author of Minamata, and photographer W. Eugene Smith. The documentary Amazon, the New Minamata? was screened, which examines the impact of mercury pollution on indigenous communities in Brazil.

During the week, delegates attended thematic sessions on the implementation of the Convention, the planetGOLD programme, the launch of the Convention Women’s Group, and knowledge labs on key technical and policy topics. The exhibition “Minamata Photography Perspectives” and the photo series Humanae by artist Angelica Dass on the shores of Lake Geneva connected art with the message of environmental protection.

COP-6 is an important step forward in affirming the global commitment to completely eliminating mercury, protecting human health and the planet.

Source: Department of Chemicals

Tags: Ministry of Industry and Trade, Minamata Convention, mercury

Source: https://moit.gov.vn/tin-tuc/quoc-te/doan-viet-nam-tham-du-hoi-nghi-cac-ben-lan-thu-sau-cong-uoc-minamata-ve-thuy-ngan-cop-6-.html