Listed in alphabetical order by given name
ABIGAIL MWAILENGE
National Project Manager, planetGOLD Zambia (AGC)
Abigail Mwailenge is the National Project Manager for planetGOLD Zambia, executed by the Artisanal Gold Council. She is a dynamic leader in Zambia’s Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Sector, known for her multidisciplinary expertise and advocacy for sustainable and responsible mining practices. She holds a Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Metallurgical Engineering and Master of Science Degree in Marketing Management with well over 13 Years experience in the Mining Sector and Community projects that have seen the evolution of mining practices at grassroot level. She plays a pivotal role in promoting mercury-free gold mining practices and empowering Artisanal and Small- Scale Gold Miners (ASGM). Her work includes strategic partnerships, market development, and gender-inclusive initiatives.
ABIGAIL OCATE
National Project Manager, planetGOLD Philippines (AGC)
Abigail Ocate has dedicated over a decade of her career to promoting good governance in the extractive industries. She currently serves as the National Project Manager for the Artisanal Gold Council (AGC) Philippines, leading the planetGOLD Philippines and ASGM NAP Development Projects. Prior to joining AGC, Abi worked as the Country Officer for Southeast Asia at the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) International Secretariat and as the Technical Manager of the Philippine EITI National Secretariat. In these roles, she played a key part in establishing and institutionalizing the EITI process in the country. Earlier in her career, Abi also worked as an Environmental Specialist in the private sector, managing Environmental Impact Assessment projects.
ANALIZA REBUELTA-TEH
Undersecretary for Finance, Information System and Climate Change, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippines
Analiza Rebuelta-Teh, Undersecretary for Finance, Information System and Climate Change of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Commerce, Major in Marketing Management at De La Salle University. She finished her Bachelor of Laws at the University of the Philippines.
Her government service as a lawyer includes serving as Executive Director for the Adjudication Board of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DARAB) and Director for Legal Services of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC). She served as Assistant Secretary for Legal Service and Assistant Secretary for Foreign Assisted and Special Projects Office. She served as Undersecretary and Chief of Staff from 2011 to 2016. She was also designated as Supervising Undersecretary for Mining (2017-2020) and Environment (2019-2020).
ANIL SOOKDEO
Senior Environmental Specialist, Global Environment Facility
Anil Sookdeo is the GEF’s Coordinator for Chemicals and Waste and is a member of the GEF Leadership Team. He works towards a pollution free, zero waste future through supporting the GEF’s work on the implementation of the chemicals and waste multilateral environmental agreements including the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, and the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management. Anil is a national of Trinidad and Tobago and has worked in the field of environment and development for over 20 years.
ARTHUR KOUAME
Project Coordinator, planetGOLD Cote d'Ivoire (CASE)
Yao Arthur KOUAME has a degree in rural sociology and a certificate in project management and development. He has over 10 years of professional experience in sustainable cocoa management, working for an agro-industrial company specializing in the purchase of cocoa beans, then as a consultant for non-governmental organizations. He participated in the development of the National Action Plan “to reduce or eliminate the use of mercury in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector” in Côte d'Ivoire, Togo, Niger, and Guinea, with the aim of implementing the Minamata Convention on Mercury. In 2023, he joined the non-governmental organization African Center for Environmental Health (CASE) as a consultant and then as project coordinator.
BARTHELEMY BATIONO
Environmental Inspector, Ministry of Environment, Burkina Faso
Barthélémy BATIONO holds a degree in Environmental Inspection from the National School of Water and Forestry and a master's degree in Biological Sciences, specializing in plant biology and physiology, from the Life and Earth Sciences Training and Research Unit at the University of Ouagadougou. He also holds a Certificate of Completion in Mine Rehabilitation and Closure issued by the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals, and Sustainable Development.He has over twelve years of experience in the field of environmental quality, particularly in the management of chemicals and hazardous waste. For example, he led the drafting of the national strategy for sustainable and integrated management of pollution and environmental risks in Burkina Faso (2024-2028). Barthélémy currently holds the official position of National Focal Point for the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
CRISTIAN GONZALES
Chemical Substances and Hazardous Waste Specialist, Ministry of Environment and Energy, Ecuador
Cristian Jeyson González Mosquera is an Analyst for Chemical Substances, Hazardous and Non-Hazardous Waste and Residues. He is a Chemical Engineer graduated from the Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo. He has over 10 years of experience in the environmentally sound management of chemicals and hazardous or special wastes, and currently serves as the technical lead for the Minamata Convention on Mercury in Ecuador.
GABRIELA URQUIDI
Deputy Project Manager, planetGOLD Bolivia
Gabriela Urquidi is an environmental engineer with studies in project management. She has ten years of experience in the gold mining sector, where she worked to promote sustainability and environmental management in artisanal and small-scale mining since 2015. Between 2017 and 2023, she was part of the Swiss Responsible Gold Initiative in Bolivia, serving as Operational Coordinator and leading technical support, institutional strengthening, and strategic communication actions. In this role, she promoted the development of guides, manuals, and educational materials aimed at ASM miners, contributing to improving environmental practices and understanding of international sustainability standards. Since 2023, she has been part of the technical coordination team for the planetGOLD Bolivia project, where she combines her technical training with a communication approach aimed at raising awareness of the work of miners, promoting inter-institutional dialogue, and disseminating the messages of the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
IBRAHIMA SORY SYLLA
Project Coordinator, planetGOLD Guinea
Ibrahima Sory SYLLA is a Guinean expert in community development, specializing in environmental governance, renewable energy, and natural resource management. As coordinator of the planetGOLD Guinea project, he has over 15 years of experience in designing, coordinating, and evaluating sustainable development projects at both the national and international levels. He holds a Master's degree in Mining Law, Environment, and Sustainable Development from the University of Sonfonia, as well as a Master's degree in Energy Systems and Environment from Gamal Abdel Nasser University in Conakry. He has enriched his career with numerous technical and managerial training courses (WACSI, IFDD, Sherbrooke Academy, UNEP, UNDP).
LILIANE RANDRIANOMENJANAHARY
Project Coordinator, planetGOLD Madagascar
Liliane Hanitriniaina RANDRIANOMENJANAHARY is a Doctor specializing in Public and Community Health and holds a Certificate in Health and Environment. She is the National Focal Point for the Minamata Convention on Mercury and has been a Member of the Board of Directors of the Specific International Program within the Secretariat of the Minamata Convention from 2023 to date. Dr. RANDRIANOMENJANAHARY Hanitriniaina Liliane has particular expertise in policy design, strategies, action plans, communication, international and national negotiations, and program and project management. As National Director of the project on reducing UPOPs and mercury emissions in the health sector in Madagascar from 2016 to 2020, a project coordinated by the UNDP, Dr. RANDRIANOMENJANAHARY Hanitriniaina Liliane has already coordinated various projects funded by the GEF, UNEP, and the Global Mercury Partnership. With a Master's degree in Public and Community Health and a Doctorate in Medicine, she has enriched her career with numerous technical and managerial training courses.
LUDOVIC BERNAUDAT
Officer-in-Charge, Head of the GEF Chemicals and Waste Unit, Chemicals & Health Branch, UNEP
Ludovic Bernaudat is the Officer-in-Charge and Head of the GEF Chemicals and Waste Unit in the Chemicals and Health Branch of UNEP. Mr. Bernaudat has 25 years of experience in the development and implementation of technical cooperation projects in the areas of international waters and chemicals and waste with a strong focus on mercury pollution. Since 2007, Mr. Bernaudat has been the co-lead of the UNEP Global Mercury Partnership area on Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM). In this capacity, he has supported the development of the article 7 on ASGM, and its associated Annex C, of the Minamata Convention on mercury. Over the past 24 years, Mr Bernaudat has developed and managed ASGM-related projects in over 30 countries. In 2016, he led the development of the GEF GOLD programme, a multi-agency, multi-country GEF-financed initiative aiming at sustainably transforming the sector so that ASGM operations are formalised, have access to finance and markets and are mercury-free. He is the planetGOLD programme manager.
LYNN GITU
Program Leader, IMPACT in Uganda and Project Manager, planetGOLD Uganda
Lynn is a legal professional with a passion for social justice. She specializes in policy analysis, conflict analysis, women’s empowerment, and natural resource governance. She has previously held positions in national and international NGOs, implementing and managing advocacy programming focused on better management of energy and extractives in East and Central Africa. She has for the last eight years, led IMPACT’s work in mineral certification and due diligence in the English-speaking countries of Africa’s Great Lakes region and coordinates projects across Uganda including a GEF supported, UNEP led one named planetGOLD that supports the government of Uganda and artisanal and small scale gold miners to eliminate the use of mercury in the processing of ASM gold.
MARIO RODAS
Programme Officer, UNDP Ecuador
Mario Rodas has more than 16 years of professional experience working across Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, and Spain, leading the design and implementation of projects in environmental management and sustainable production. He holds a degree in Environmental Engineering from SEK University of Ecuador and a Master’s in Environmental Engineering and Renewable Energies from the University of Iceland, with a focus on renewable energy systems, life cycle assessment (LCA), and sustainable development. He currently serves as Environment and Energy Officer at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ecuador, where he support initiatives on climate change, sustainable production, international waters, finance for development, and chemicals management. He is also a member of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC) under the Stockholm Convention.
MONIKA STANKIEWICZ
Executive Secretary, Minamata Convention on Mercury
Monika Stankiewicz was appointed as the Executive Secretary of the Minamata Convention on Mercury on 13 January 2020. She has more than 20 years of experience working on environmental issues, including 13 years – of which 7 years in an executive position – at an intergovernmental organization.
Most recently, she served as Executive Secretary of the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM), leading the team of 30 staff, during 2012-2019. In this role, she led the successful implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan, a comprehensive programme of measures based on the ecosystem approach. She undertook a high-level of coordination across the organization, the region, sectors and policies, to ensure ownership, impactful actions and concrete results. She contributed to the formulation of major new policies to address pollution sources at sea, on land and airborne, including in the prioritized areas of hazardous substances, eutrophication, biodiversity and maritime activities. Monika has experience in facilitating negotiating processes of the parties to agree on common approaches and solutions, supporting national implementation and designing robust follow up and assessment systems. She oversaw large-scale scientific and expert processes including guiding strategically on issues of policy relevance. She was the executive lead of the HELCOM Second Holistic Assessment of the Baltic Sea prepared by over 300 national experts over a period of four years.
SAIDOU KABRE
National Project Manager, planetGOLD Burkina Faso (AGC)
Saidou Kabre is an economist and mining sector investment specialist. His experience has focused on the management of development projects in the development, environment and ASGM sectors in Burkina Faso and the West African region. He has worked on setting up a number of mechanisms to facilitate access to funding, supervising farmers and disseminating production and environmental protection technologies. Saidou Kabre piloted the revolving funds mechanism for the miners in Burkina Faso. He holds a Master's degree in Macroeconomics and Development Management and a Master's degree in Digital Territorial Project Management (GPNT). Kabre is currently the National Project Manager of the planetGOLD Project and at the same time the Country Representative of the Artisanal Gold Council (AGC) in Burkina Faso.
