Africa-Press – Angola. Angola, in terms of biodiversity, is planning the creation of new areas, including the first for marine conservation, at a time when the country is implementing the Strategy and Action Plan, the results of which are an increase from 6% in 2011 to 12 % of the national territory.
This information was released on Monday (28), in Nairobi (Kenya), by the Minister of State for Social Affairs, Carolina Cerqueira, during her speech at the Fifth Assembly of the United Nations for the Environment, on behalf of the President of the Republic, João Lawrence.
According to the Minister of State, the assembly takes place at a time when the planet is facing a triple environmental crisis, referring to climate change, biodiversity and pollution, which, for her, constitutes the “common home”.
Carolina Cerqueira said that the Covid-19 pandemic, which affected the economy and social structure of countries, cannot be ignored as a factor that weakened the ability to respond to environmental crises.
He highlighted the National Development Plan, a five-year development planning instrument, which incorporates actions to overcome these crises, emphasizing “the role of multilateralism, which is why Angola is bound by most Multilateral Agreements in the field of the environment”.
Still on climate change, the Minister of State for the Social Area recalled, in her speech, that Angola recently approved the National Strategy for climate action.
He explained that this strategy identifies actions aimed at adapting the national territory to the effects of climate change, adopting a low carbon development model, mobilizing resources and promoting the strengthening of the capacity of the country’s institutions, including the development and adoption of environmental technologies.
After congratulating the Government of Kenya for hosting the event and also UNEP for organizing the Fifth United Nations Environment Assembly, Carolina Cerqueira said that Angola supports the creation of an intergovernmental committee, mandated to negotiate a legal instrument in accordance with the principles of the Rio Declaration, particularly that of common responsibility.
However, the official defended that the declaration should be differentiated, according to national circumstances, noting that the implementation of the obligations resulting from this instrument will require capacity strengthening, financial assistance and technology transfer to developing countries.
“It would be desirable that we could also address issues related to the valorization of science in the design of policies, especially related to Agriculture for the reduction of hunger and poverty, the mitigation and management of fires, as well as drought and desertification. ”, he underlined.
He also reiterated that it is important to consider the most vulnerable groups, such as women and youth, for their contribution to the social and economic development of local communities. Therefore, Carolina Cerqueira said that she believes that the Declaration of the Fifth Assembly of the United Nations for the Environment will affirm the commitment to sustainable development.
The Minister of State for the Social Area participates in the Second Session of the Fifth Assembly of the United Nations for the Environment and in the Special Session commemorating the 50th anniversary of the creation of the United Nations Environment Program, which has been taking place in Nairobi, Kenya, since Monday, fair and lasts until Friday.
The event, which takes place at the United Nations complex in Nairobi under the motto “Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals”, has the participation of high-level delegations from United Nations Member States, International and UN partner institutions.
The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) serves as the main world stage for the debate and approval of international policies and strategies on the environment and which, under the auspices of the United Nations, binds all members, it is hoped that this 2nd Session of the Fifth Assembly for the Environment – UNAE-5.2 will adopt a series of Resolutions, Decisions and a Ministerial Declaration.
Within the framework of the likely Resolutions to be adopted, the most significant could be the initial proposal by Rwanda and Peru, aimed at the establishment of an International Commission to work on the creation of a legal instrument that binds the Member States in the fight against plastic pollution.
The inaugural plenary session, which took place on Monday morning, was preceded by a special session of African delegations, which was summarized in a secret voting process, in which the Kingdom of Morocco was elected to, on behalf of the cradle of Humanity, assume the presidency of the next Assembly of Nations for the Environment – UNEA6, in the period 2022-2024.
The Special Session of the United Nations Assembly on the Environment, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the creation of UNEP, will address topics such as “The UNEP we want”, and promote two “High Level Dialogues”, one about the last 50 years of the organization and the other on the future of the same institution, with a view to achieving the 2030 Agenda for people and the planet.
The event commemorating the 50th anniversary of UNEP may adopt a Political Declaration on United Nations General Assembly Resolution 73/333, which has the task of monitoring the implementation of UN General Assembly Resolution 72/277, aimed at establishing a Global Compact on the Environment based on International Environmental Law.
The Angolan delegation also includes Paula Francisco, Secretary of State for the Environment, Sianga Abílio, Ambassador to Kenya and permanent representative to the UN Offices in Nairobi, national directors and officials from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Environment, from the the Minister of State for the Social Area and the Embassy of Angola in Nairobi.
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