|
Want more in-depth news on key multilateral environmental agreements and their secretariats? Sign up to
receive our free publication,
MEA Bulletin. |
|
|
Want
more information on sustainable development decision-making in
Africa? Subscribe to
AFRICASD-L, a peer-to-peer mailing list for news
on our African Regional Coverage Project and sustainable development
issues in Africa. |
|
|
A knowledge management project for international negotiations and
related activities on climate change |
|
 |
|
HIGH-LEVEL EVENT ON AFRICA’S DEVELOPMENT NEEDS
ADOPTS POLITICAL DECLARATION |
|
 New
York, 23 September—The
High-Level Meeting on Africa’s Development
Needs, which took place at UN headquarters
on 22 September 2008, ended with the
adoption of a resolution entitled “Political
Declaration on Africa’s Development Needs.”
In the resolution, leaders from Africa expressed their
determination to achieve the Millennium
Development Goals and reaffirmed that NEPAD
provides an agreed foundation. They noted
that this framework can only be implemented
if the international community fulfills its
commitments to tackle the myriad challenges
faced by Africa.
More.
|
Photo: UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addressed
delegates during the High-level Meeting on Africa’s
Development Needs (UN Photo/Marco Castro) |
|
|
|
|
MDG SUMMIT ENDS WITH US$16 BILLION IN NEW COMMITMENTS |
|
 New
York,
26 September—On
25 September 2008, UN Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon and the President of the UN General
Assembly convened a High-Level Event on the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at UN
Headquarters in New York, during which Heads
of State or government, and representatives
from the private sector and civil society
reaffirmed existing commitments and
announced new ones needed to achieve the MDGs by 2015. Among the commitments, some
US$1.6 billion was pledged to enhance food
security. A new initiative, “Purchase for
Progress,” to buy surplus crops directly
from poor farmers in Africa and Central
America, was launched. Investments of US$2.2
billion were committed to provide water and
sanitation to 30 million people by 2015.
Attention was also given to the threat of
climate change in reversing the achievements
made on the MDGs, and over US$750 million
was pledged by member States, along with
renewed commitments to reduce deforestation.
More.
|
Photo: UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, flanked by
Bono, rock musician and renowned campaigner for
Africa, and Jeffrey Sachs, Special
Advisor to the UN Secretary-General on the MDGs,
during the launch of the Irish Hunger Commission
Report. |
|
|
|
AEWA MOP-4 ADOPTS AFRICAN INITIATIVE |
|
|
Antananarivo,
20 September—The
fourth Meeting of the Parties to the
African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement, which
met from 15-19 September 2008, in
Antananarivo, Madagascar, adopted a budget
that will allow the Secretariat to maintain
its current level of staff and activities, as
well as a resolution on an African
Initiative for the Conservation of Migratory Waterbirds and their Habitats in Africa.
Among other agreements, participants also
adopted the Strategic Plan 2009-2017 and an
enhanced national report format;
conservation guidelines concerning impacts
of infrastructure development-related
disturbance and measures needed to help
waterbirds adapt to climate change; and
international single species action plans
for several species.
More. |
|
|
AFRICA COMMISSION CONSIDERS CLIMATE CHANGE, ECONOMIC GROWTH |
|
|
Nairobi,
19 September—The
Africa Commission has held a one-day event
on economic and employment issues in the
context of climate change. The “Thematic
Conference on Employment and Economic
Growth: The Challenge of Climate Change,”
took place in Nairobi, Kenya, on 18
September 2008. The event was one of a
series of meetings initiated by the Danish
Government’s Africa Commission. The meeting
considered: water resources; food security
and agricultural productivity; adaptation to
climate change in urban areas; economic
development and clean energy; and avoiding
deforestation. The meeting also included
some discussions on negotiations under the
UNFCCC.
More. |
|
|
|
Second Meeting of the
Ad-Hoc OEWG to Review and Assess
Measures to Address the Global Issue of Mercury:
6-10 October 2008, Nairobi, Kenya |
|
FfD Process Informal Meetings:
9-10 and 14-17 October 2008, New York, US |
|
2008 IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings:
13 October 2008. Washington DC, US |
|
Third Meeting of the
Ad Hoc Advisory Committee for the ITPGR
Funding Strategy:
13-15 October 2008, Rome, Italy |
|
International Conference on Traditional Forest-Related
Knowledge and Sustainable Forest Management in Africa:
13-16 October 2008. Accra, Ghana |
|
WIPO IGC-13:
13-17 October 2008, Geneva, Switzerland |
|
Fourth Meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutant Review
Committee:
13-17 October 2008, Geneva, Switzerland |
|
FAO Global Conference on Small Scale Fisheries:
13-17 October 2008, Bangkok, Thailand |
|
FAO Committee on World Food Security:
14-17 October 2008, Rome, Italy |
|
15th Annual Meeting of the Commission for the Conservation
of Southern Bluefin Tuna:
14-17 October 2008, Auckland, New Zealand |
IISD Reporting Services will be reporting from 21 to 24 October 2008
from:
Linkages Update
delivers the latest news and information on international
environment and sustainable development issues to your e-mail
inbox twice every month.
More information. |
|
