Ethiopia, UNEP  Agree to Collaborate Efforts to Achieve Goals of AMCEN Presidency 

Addis Ababa, November 9/2023 (ENA) Ethiopia and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) have discussed the roadmap for Ethiopia's upcoming two-year presidency of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN). 

The discussions took place during a meeting between Ethiopian Minister of Planning and Development Fitsum Asefa and UNEP Director and Regional Representative for Africa Rose Mwebaza.

During the meeting, the two parties agreed to collaborate and coordinate their efforts to achieve the goals of the AMCEN presidency. 

They also discussed the importance of UNEP's support for Ethiopia's GEF8-supported projects, which are aimed at scaling up and scaling out the best practices of the Green Legacy Initiative of Ethiopia.

Fitsum highlighted the successful convening of the 19th session of the AMCEN under Ethiopia's presidency that was held in August 2023 in Addis Ababa, which resulted in a common position for the Group of African Negotiators (AGN) towards COP28 and also adopted a number of declarations and decisions on chemical and waste management as well as combating biodiversity loss and desertification. 

She reaffirmed Ethiopia's commitment to working with all stakeholders to ensure a successful AMCEN presidency.

 

UNEP Director and Regional Representative for Africa, Rose Mwebaza, commended Ethiopia's leadership on environmental issues and expressed UNEP's full support for the AMCEN presidency. 

She also highlighted the importance of the partnership between UNEP and Ethiopia in addressing the triple planetary crisis: climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.

The two parties also discussed a draft work plan for Ethiopia’s AMCEN Presidency in the coming two years and identified key priorities for the Presidency with the support of the AMCEN secretariat, as well as outstanding issues for effective engagement during the upcoming COP28, which will be held from November 30 to December 12, 2023.

The meeting was a positive step towards strengthening the partnership between Ethiopia and UNEP and ensuring a successful AMCEN presidency, according to Ministry of Planning and Development.

The African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) was established in December 1985, following a conference of African ministers of environment held in Cairo, Egypt. 

Its mandate is to provide advocacy for environmental protection in Africa; to ensure that basic human needs are met adequately and in a sustainable manner; to ensure that social and economic development is realized at all levels; and to ensure that agricultural activities and practices meet the food security needs of the region.