Nairobi hosts the first Africa Environment Partnership Platform (AEPP)

Mrs Estherine Fotabong, NEPAD Agency’s Director of Programmes with Ministers of Environment and heads of delegations and participants.
21 September 2018
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35Nord (Paris)
press release

The theme for the AEPP meeting was “50 years of Environmental Governance and Sustainability in Africa”, marking this important milestone in the annals of Africa’s environmental governance and management processes.

Nairobi, September 21, 2018 – Africa’s environmental resources have always been the pillar on which social and economic systems are based. The continent has a wealth of natural resources, including minerals, land, biological diversity, wildlife, forests, fisheries and water. The environmental resources of the continent are also of global importance for the world’s climate and for the development of socio-economic activities.

In recognition of the above, the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) in conjunction with the NEPAD Agency, the African Union Commission and partner institutions, convened the first ever Africa Environment Partnership Platform (AEPP) meeting, in Nairobi, Kenya, from 20 to 21 September.

The theme for the AEPP meeting was “50 years of Environmental Governance and Sustainability in Africa,” marking this important milestone in the annals of Africa’s environmental governance and management processes. The purpose of the meeting was to take stock of the present environmental policy and programmes implementation choices that will deliver a sustainable and secure future for the unborn generations, in line with both global aspirations such as the Sustainable Development Goals and Africa’s Agenda 2063.

Speaking on behalf of the Deputy President of Kenya, Mr William Ruto, the platform was officially opened by H.E Mr Keriako Tobiko, Cabinet Secretary of Environment of the Republic of Kenya. Mr Tobiko said that the Africa Environmental Partnership Platform presents Africa with an opportunity to put issues of the environment at the core of policy discourse through a multi-stakeholder engagement.

“I urge the NEPAD Agency as the technical body of the African Union and convenors of the Platform to ensure that the platform does not only become a once-a-year affair. It should be the go-to vehicle for assessing and tracking the progress of environmental sustainability on the continent,” Mr Tobiko said.

“The purpose of this platform is to open the space for inclusive dialogue, for sharing and replicating best practices and monitoring interventions in sustainable environment management,” Mrs Estherine Lisinge-Fotabong, NEPAD Agency’s Director of Programmes said in her opening remarks.

Mr Harsen Nyambe, the representative of the African Union Commissioner of Rural Economy, Agriculture and Environment, expressed the same sentiments as the representative from AMCEN, pointing out that it is important to put into action through implementation of programmes, the various interventions as outlined in the continent’s decisions and policies.

Dr Joyce Msuya, Deputy Executive Director at UN Environment, expressed delight at being part of the Africa Environment Partnership Platform. She brought forth the importance of partnerships, knowledge-sharing and the pooling of resources to address issues of common interest.

The meeting concluded with a call for action to undertake the following:

a) Convene the Africa Environment Partnership Platform as a regular event with a focus on facilitating country experiences and lessons in the efforts to accelerate sustainable environmental practices.
b) Request the NEPAD Agency as the convener of the platform, working closely with the African Union Commission and other partners to lead efforts in support of country approaches in the implementation of national priority environmental programmes. This will include strengthening capacity to implement and monitor progress towards the attainment of the Environment Action Plan, SDGS and Agenda 2063.
c) Promote capacity development and financing of environmental projects at different levels and explore mechanisms for securing needed funds from both public and private sources, including international environmental project financing.
d) Mainstream gender and youth considerations into new and existing environmental activities across the continent.
e) Develop an inclusive mechanism for all stakeholders of the platform to track progress on implementation of environmental programmes and projects on the continent.

For more information and to arrange media interviews at the NEPAD Agency contact:

Ms Mwanja Ng'anjo
Tel: +27 11 256 3600 | Email: Mwanjan@nepad.org

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