ENB @ WSSD African Regional Preparatory Meeting, 15-18 October 2001; Nairobi, Kenya

The World Summit on
Sustainable Development

African Regional Preparatory Meeting

15 - 18 October 2001 Nairobi, Kenya

Web Archive:

| Mon 15 | Tue 16 | Wed 17 | Thu 18 |

	Update for Monday, 15 October 2001 OPENING CEREMONY: Sekou Toure, Director of the Regional Office for Africa, opened the meeting and welcomed Christina Boelcke, Head of the UNEP regional offices, who was representing the UNEP Executive Director, and Oumar Aw, Head of the Environment Unit of the African Development Bank and member of the Joint Secretariat. He then invited the Government of Kenya, as the host to make an opening statement. Welcoming delegates, Simon Mbarire (right) from Kenya's Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources congratulated the Expanded Joint Secretariat for spearheading the African Preparatory process and the subregional organizations and the Regional Office for Africa (ROA) for the preparatory processes undertaken to date, and said Kenya will continue being supportive of it. He noted the aims of the Summit and highlighted some of the questions that would be under consideration, inter alia, whether: governments had lived up to their commitments; there are indicators to show any achievements towards sustainability; there were lessons learned that have emerged that needed to be addressed within the Agenda 21.

	In his opening remarks, Sekou Toure, on behalf of the UNEP Executive Director and of the Expanded Joint Secretariat, noted that Africa has many stakes in the 2002 Summit, particularly as it is hosting the Summit and the effects of globalization, thus, the need to ensure Africa's contribution to the Summit is effective and has an impact. to follow

	ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS:
	Sekou Toure said that the following consultations, it had been decided that the current chair of the Organization of African Unity should also serve as the Chair of the African Preparatory Conference, and presented the nomination of Zimbabwe, and Enes Chiyenge (Zambia) was elected Bureau Chair by acclamation.
	In her opening remarks, Chair Chiyenge emphasized the importance of the meeting and called for delegates' support and guidance. She then presented the proposed agenda of work. to follow

	ELECTION OF THE OTHER BUREAU MEMBERS:
	Chair Chiyenge suggested that the bureau be constituted from among the African countries serving on the Bureau of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, namely, Kenya, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa. Several countries noted the exclusion of francophone country representation on the Bureau. Senegal suggested, and delegates elected by acclamation, Cameroon (Mbasi Menye) to represent both francophone and the central African sub-region. He also served as rapporteur.

	ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA:
	Presenting the proposed agenda of work, Chair Chiyenge (right) said technical segments would be held on Monday and Tuesday, 15-16 October and focus on progress made in Africa since Rio, where delegates can draft and comment on the ministerial statement of future needs and agenda-setting for Johannesburg, which inform the ministerial meeting segment on Wednesday and Thursday, 17-18 October. She reaffirmed that the goal of this preparatory meeting is to agree upon an assessment and agenda-setting report that, once finalized, will be sent to New York for integration into preparations for Johannesburg.

	PLENARY:
	A UNEP Consultant, S.K. Imbamba, presented the report, which was prepared by the Expanded Joint Secretariat in cooperation with several African regional organizations.

	Egypt called for re-thinking the poverty/environment nexus and prioritizing poverty eradication.

	Ghana supported innovative ways to reduce debt and mobilize resources for sustainable development, calling for the report to mention FDI, science and technology for sustainable development, and sustainable national human settlement strategies.

	Burkina Faso called for a re-emphasis on financial resources and transfer of technology, noted the central role of Agenda 21 as a strategic framework, emphasized the need to highlight progress made by Africa in regard to civil society participation (CSO), and the need to set up follow-up mechanisms that enhance synergy between the Conventions.

	Senegal urged promotion of a system of green accounting.

	AFRICAN MINISTERIAL STATEMENT:
	S.K. Imbamba also presented the Statement noting that it has three sections. Regarding the preamble and general principles, he highlighted: a number of principles, including the African Common Position; Africa's efforts and contributions towards the implementation of Agenda 21; and the national, subregional and regional preparations undertaken and their sponsors.
	DRAFTING COMMITTEE:
	The open-ended Drafting Committee, chaired by Osita (Nigeria), started work on the African ministerial statement on Monday afternoon, 15 October.


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