The First Intergovernmental Meeting of the Declaration held in February 1999 had adopted the Phase I implementation Plan.  The countries agreed to prepare the baseline studies and also action plans reflecting national priorities to meet the Declaration's objectives.

The Inception Workshop for the implementation of the Malé Declaration on the Control and Prevention of Air Pollution and its Likely Transboundary Effects for South Asia was held in Kathmandu during 22-23 February, 1999.  The main aims of the inception workshop were to: discuss the implementation program and schedule of activities to be carried out under the project; review the guidelines for baseline studies and action plan;  review the national arrangements to carryout the baseline studies and action plan from the national implementing agencies; discuss the need for model, standards and methodologies; and improve the information exchange on air pollution between the countries in the region.  The participants at the inception workshop included representatives from the Ministries of Environment and the National Implementing Agencies (NIA), International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), South Asia Cooperative Environment Program (SACEP), Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP) and an independent regional advisor. The meeting adopted the following documents to support the phase I  implementation:

• Implementation plan
• Guidelines for the preparation of baseline studies
• Guidelines for the preparation of national action plan