UNEP boss to address Kigali meet

KIGALI - The United Nations Under-Secretary General, Achim Steiner who also doubles as the Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) is expected in the country today to address the Third African Ministerial Conference on Financing for Development (F4D). According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the meeting, dubbed F4D will take place here in Kigali and it is expected to attract over 200 senior level delegates. “During his visit Steiner, will address the conference on financing for development, climate change, financing opportunities and challenges to achieve the Millennium Development Goals in Africa,” a statement from the UN Office in Rwanda reads in part. Expected participants include Finance and Environment ministers, in and out-of-country senior representatives from multi-lateral and bi-lateral donor agencies. High level representatives of the Government of Rwanda from the President’s Office, the Supreme Court, Parliament and Prime Minister’s office will also attend. In relation to the conference, the statement notes that the discussions will surround Africa and climate change effects. Other issues to be discussed include impacts from increased droughts and floods, food insecurity, the spread of diseases such as malaria, water shortages and rising sea levels that affect up to a third of the continent’s coastal infrastructure among others. Available information indicates that Africa has the potential to forge a 21st century sustainable Green Economy by harnessing and harvesting its underexploited natural resources — the wind, sun, hot rocks, biomass and carbon removing nature-based assets. Under the theme: “climate change financing”, Steiner is therefore expected to outline this alternative future that that does not reduce the challenges Africa faces as a result of climate change and the urgent needs to be addressed. Ends

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UNEP boss to address Kigali meet