The resumed sixth meeting of the Executive Board of the Special Programme to support institutional strengthening at the national level for the implementation of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) conventions, the Minamata Convention and the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) was opened by Mr. Reggie Hernaus (Netherlands), co-chair of the Executive Board, at 14:00 (CEST) on 1 September 2021. Mr. Hernaus welcomed the participants and thanked them for their continued understanding of the need to hold an online meeting, given the restrictions still in place as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and indicated that he looked forward to working with them on some key aspects of the work of the Special Programme. He then invited Ms. Monika MacDevette, Chief of the Chemicals and Health Branch of UNEP’s Economy Division, to make some opening remarks