Littoral countries to the Caspian Sea are to meet in Geneva from 7-10 November to boost cooperation for the world's largest inland body of water and its environment.

Representatives from Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan will meet to prepare for the sixth Conference of the Parties due to take place in 2017.

Institutional arrangements will be reviewed for the Convention’s permanent Secretariat to be established in the region on a rotational basis.

Countries and experts will also review steps for ensuring that the Aktau Protocol - on the prevention and response to oil spills - becomes a reality on the ground. The Protocol entered into force on 25 July this year and requires countries to assist one another in the event of oil spill incidents and coordinate on contingency plans.

For more information please write to mateusz.benko@unep.org.