Kibaki calls for transformation of UNEP into a specialized agency

Written By:PPS,    Posted: Mon, Feb 20, 2012

President Mwai Kibaki is being received by the Under Secretary-General and Director, UNEP, Dr Achim Steiner(Left) and the Under Secretary-General and Exertive Director of UN-HABITAT, Dr. Joan Clos (Right) President Mwai Kibaki has called on the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Governing Council to support the African position and endorse the transformation of UNEP into a specialized organization based in Nairobi. The President said the transformation of UNEP into a specialized UN agency will create broader legitimacy through universal membership and result in better coherence in decision-making. President Kibaki added that the transformation will also enable more efficient implementation of decisions regarding environmental issues. "It is for this reason that the African Union has taken a common position to support the transformation of UNEP into a specialized UN agency. This will enable us to place equal importance on the environmental sector as has been placed on other sectors of sustainable development," President Kibaki said. The Head of State was speaking Monday at the United Nations Office at Gigiri in Nairobi where he officially opened the 12th Special Session of the UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum. President Kibaki said Kenya has embraced green growth as a national priority to guide the country's future development and climate resilience. "We believe that a green economy must foster accelerated economic development, address poverty eradication and improve social welfare," President Kibaki said. The President observed that achieving green development and reversing environmental degradation requires strong institutions. In this regard, President Kibaki cautioned that without reforms in the international environmental governance, environmental sustainability will continue to remain weak and sustainable development elusive. Recalling that 40 years ago the United Nations organized the first major conference on international environmental issues in Stockholm Sweden, President Kibaki said the conference marked the beginning of new thinking about the environment and defined new global principles for the conservation and protection of the natural environment. In addition, President Kibaki said, the conference made a decision to establish the United Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi. Citing the climate change conference in Durban last December, President Kibaki noted that the world has made great strides towards establishing a more effective international regime to address climate change challenges. "I take this opportunity to thank and welcome those distinguished personalities who played a central role in shaping global environmental management since the Stockholm Conference and who have joined us today to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of UNEP," President Kibaki said. The President, however, noted that despite the many advances made over the past 40 years, environmental degradation continues to limit development options of many countries especially the developing nations. Moreover, President Kibaki pointed out, the scale and frequency of environmental disasters is often beyond national capacities to manage. He regretted that the disasters also affect and even reverse gains made in poverty eradication and sustainable development objectives consequently eroding at an alarming rate the natural capital which is the basic wealth for many developing nations. Said the President: "This state of affairs underscores the need to intensify efforts towards environmental conservation and protection. It also underlines the need to set the world on a low-carbon growth pathway which incorporates the real values of natural ecosystems." The President said the forum was an important milestone in the history of UNEP as it not only coincided with celebrations to mark UNEP's 40th Anniversary but it is also the last global gathering of Environment Ministers before the UN Conference on Sustainable Development to be held in Rio de Janeiro later in the year. In this connection, President Kibaki urged participants to take the unique opportunity to build consensus that will determine the outcome of the forthcoming UN Conference. To this end, the President said, the meeting should seek the elevation of the Global Ministerial Environment Forum from being just a forum for dialogue to being the global authoritative voice on environmental sustainability. President Kibaki added that the meeting should also be elevated to serve as the link between global environmental policy-making and global environmental financing. "I am sure this is in the interest of all of us as it will promote sustainable development and poverty eradication throughout the world," President Kibaki said. President Kibaki invited the delegates to visit the country's tourist attractions and sample the diverse cultures and hospitality of the Kenyan people.  He assuring them of any assistance they may require while in the country. Speaking during the occasion, the Director General UNON Ms. Sahle-Work Zewde expressed appreciation to the Kenya government for providing adequate security to the UN installations and staff in the country. Ms. Zewde pledged to work hard towards upgrading the Nairobi duty office to be at per with other UN offices. On his part, the Under Secretary- General and Executive Director UNEP Dr. Achim Steiner expressed appreciation to the Kenyan people for their continued support to the UN environment programmes undertaken in the last 40 years. The Deputy Executive Director of UNEP Amb. Amina Mohamed delivered a statement from the UN Secretary General Dr. Ban Ki Moon. Others who spoke during the occasion were the Acting President of the UN governing council who is also the Uruguay minister of Housing, Land planning and Environment Ms. Graciela Muslera and the UN-HABITAT Executive Director Dr. Joan Clos. In attendance were Cabinet Ministers Moses Wetangula and Fred Gumo among senior Kenya government and UN officials.