The Environment Strategy   for countries of Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA) was adopted by Ministers at the 5th “Environment for Europe”  Conference, held in Kiev in May 2003. The overall objective of the Strategy is “to contribute to improving environmental conditions and to implementing WSSD Plan of Implementation in the EECCA by strengthening efforts of these countries in environmental protection and by facilitating partnership and cooperation between EECCA countries, countries of UNECE region, including all stakeholders.”

In Kiev, the Ministers noted that:
• EECCA countries  have the main responsibility for achieving the Strategy objectives;
• Achieving the Strategy objectives will require strengthened cooperation between EECCA and other partners through partnerships;
• The EAP TF/OECD was invited to “lead efforts to facilitate and support., the achievement of the objectives of the Strategy”;
• International organisations were invited as Facilitating and Cooperating Organisations to provide assistance and support to EECCA countries, in accordance with their mandates

Overall facilitation of the achievement of EECCA Strategy objectives will focus on the following activities:

1. Monitoring and Facilitating Partnerships  
2. Assessing EECCA Country Progress in Achieving the Objectives of the Strategy 
3. Promotion of Effective Cooperation and Communication among Partners 

At the Kiev Conference, the Ministers also decided to hold a Conference in 2004 to “discuss the action programmes and partnerships to implement the Strategy over this period and to provide additional impetus for their development and implementation”. The Conference of EECCA Environment Ministers and their Partners took place in Tbilisi (Georgia) on 21-22 October 2004.