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OPENING REMARKS BY H.E. TUMUSIIME RHODA PEACE,
COMMISSIONER FOR RURAL ECONOMY AND AGRICULTURE
AT THE AFRICAN DELEGATES MEETING
MARCH 13, 2015, SENDAI, JAPAN

- Your Excellency Modest Mero, Permanent Representative of the United Republic to the United Nations in Geneva and Chair of this meeting
- Your Excellencies – African Representatives in the Bureau of Inter-governmental Preparatory Committee for the Third World Conference on DRR
- The Chair of the Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction Mr. Mohammed Masr from the Permanent Mission of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the United Nations in Geneva
- Ms Sharon Rusu, Head, UNISDR Regional Office for Africa
- Members of the Diplomatic Corp
- Distinguished Delegates
- Ladies and Gentlemen,
- All protocols observed

I have the honour and pleasure to add my voice in welcoming you all, on behalf of the African Union Commission, and, indeed, on my own behalf, to this important meeting of African Delegates; and I wish to convey warm greetings and best wishes from the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who recognizes the importance of DRR and the key role you are playing in advancing it on the continent.

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

As you are all aware, Africa is a continent confronted by a broad range of hazards and related risks and disasters. You would recall that cognizant of this situation and the fact that disaster risk reduction is more effective in saving lives and cost effective than emergency response, the African Union Heads of State and Government adopted the Africa Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction in 2004 and subsequently its Programme of Action, including the current Extended Programme of Action in 2011, which is in line with the Hyogo Framework for Action.

While implementation of these continental and global frameworks for disaster risk reduction has led to significant milestones in terms of advancing the disaster risk reduction agenda across the African continent, much remains to be done towards effectively reducing the vulnerability and exposure of the continent and hence strengthening the resilience of persons, communities, countries and assets in a meaningful and sustainable way.

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Demonstrating its continued commitment to disaster risk reduction and highlighting its critical role in realizing the AU vision of “An integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and a dynamic force in the global arena”, the African Union recently in January 2015 adopted Africa’s Contribution to the Post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

In the course of adopting Africa’s Contribution, AU Member States and Regional Economic Communities were urged to actively participate in the process leading up to its integration into the global Post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and, in particular, to actively participate, at the Heads of State/Government level, in the Third World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction.

In the same vein, the AU Commission was mandated to facilitate the review of the current Extended Programme of Action for the implementation of the Africa Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction in line with the Post-2015 Framework for DRR once it gets adopted.

The Commission has also taken steps to integrate Disaster Risk Reduction into its various strategies, plans, and programmes, including Africa Agenda 2063, part of which is the Accelerated African Growth and Transformation within the framework of the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).

Furthermore, the AU has put in place the African Risk Capacity to reduce the risk of loss and damage caused by extreme weather events and natural disasters by providing targeted responses to disasters in a more timely, cost-effective and transparent manner.

I am also pleased to report that in collaboration with UNISDR, AUC supported the establishment and operationalization of mechanisms, like the African Working Group and the Africa Regional Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction.

All the above-mentioned steps taken by the AU Policy Organs as well as efforts exerted by the AU Commission, Member States, and Regional Economic Communities to deliver on their DRR related mandates are a clear manifestation of Africa’s continued commitment to Disaster Risk Reduction.

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

The AUC attaches a great significance to your meeting today given the key issues that you will concentrate on are of paramount importance to enable Africa to continue speaking with one voice as far as ensuring that its concerns and priorities are adequately reflected in the Post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and international cooperation and support is enhanced for its implementation. Your meeting today will also serve as an avenue for us to generate the commitment needed not only for reviewing the current Programme of Action for the implementation of the Africa Regional Strategy for DRR in line with the global Post-2015 Framework for DRR, but also for its actual implementation, especially at country level.

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I also take this opportunity to thank all partners that tremendously supported us not only in advancing the DRR agenda on the continent, but also in the process leading up to the development of Africa’s Contribution to the Post-2015 Framework for DRR and its integration into the global post-2015 Framework for DRR. In particular, I would like to reiterate the African Union’s gratitude for the support that UNISDR, under the able leadership of H.E. Margareta Wahlstrom, has been providing to our continent in this regard. In this connection, I would like to thank the UNISDR Regional Office for Africa for our close collaboration and the hard work and assistance in organizing this meeting in the margins of the Third Session of the Intergovernmental Preparatory Committee for the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction.

In the same vein, the African Union wishes to applaud the support that the European Union has provided through its EU-ACP DRR programme: “Building Disaster Resilience in Sub-Saharan African Regions, Countries, and Communities” to further advance the DRR agenda on the African continent.

We also salute Member States, the Regional Economic Communities, and all other relevant stakeholders for their continued and demonstrated commitment to DRR as well as active and consistent engagement in the development of Africa’s contribution and its integration into the forthcoming global post-2015 framework for DRR. We are also encouraged and proud of Egypt’s and South Sudan’s successful representation of Africa in the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Preparatory Committee.

Finally, we salute the Government and the people of Japan for the warm welcome and generous hospitality accorded to all of us here since our arrival and for putting in place excellent arrangements for the success of our deliberations.

With these few remarks, I look forward to our productive meeting and your further guidance.

Thank you for your kind attention.

CELEBRATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

08 MARCH 2015

"WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT AND DEVELOPMENT TOWARDS AFRICA AGENDA 2063"

MAKE IT HAPPEN

Ladies and gentlemen,

On this memorable day of 08 March commemorating International Women's Day around the world, I would like to add my voice to all women worldwide and especially the women of Africa in acknowledging the fight led by female pioneers for the rights of women throughout the past centuries. On International Women's Day, we celebrate the determination of women around the world to fight for equality and for social, economic and political rights.

The celebration of 8 March gives us the opportunity to highlight the economic, political and social achievements of women worldwide. It furthermore allows us to take stock of the progress made and the challenges we still face in recognizing and protecting the rights of women.

Today, the issue of recognizing women’s rights and its implementation is pivotal because it has been proven that sustainable development, political stability and economic growth cannot be achieved when a portion of the population is marginalized and excluded in the access and distribution of national resources.

Today, we can point to marked achievements in the representation of women – we have our first women Presidents, increased numbers of women in African parliaments, and we have gender parity in the African Union Commission leadership.

These must be celebrated, but much more remains to be done to increase women’s representation in all spheres – in the judiciary and in parliaments, in the economy and in the security sector. We must also intensify efforts to improve the visibility of African women on the national, regional and international scenes. Indeed, in traditional African society, it is actually women who are often, but discreetly, consulted by men when important decisions have to be taken in the community.

But why is it that women's decision-making power is not reflected in public? Why the African woman is always relegated to the background in the instances of modern public decisions? Why is the African woman excluded during elections in our countries? Why is she deprived from access to credit? To land? To education? To employment? To participation in peace negotiations? and so forth. These are existential issues for women who are awaiting concrete answers from all leaders.

On the eve of this 08 March, 2015, let us try to envision an International Women’s Day in the next 50 years, and know that the world will not celebrate women just for their struggles for gender equality, but will recognize every day as the days of both female and male citizens regardless of gender with equal and equitable rights for both women and men to be autonomous, educated, free to move and living in a stable and prosperous Africa.

Indeed, Agenda 2063 is led by the African people, particularly women and young people who are considered as the driving force of the continent, the pillars on which the continent must rely on to achieve a sustainable development and a prosperous and peaceful Africa. Agenda 2063 envisages a non-sexist Africa, an Africa where girls and boys can reach their full potential, where men and women contribute equally to the development of their societies.

It is with a view to successfully complete the Post-2015 Development Agenda, to accelerate Beijing and Dakar Platforms for Action and to implement gender equality and women’s empowerment policies that the Heads of State and Government of the African Union have declared 2015 as the "Year of Women’s Empowerment and Development towards Africa’s Agenda 2063."

The choice of African Union’s theme this year is indeed an opportunity for us to demonstrate our commitment to the empowerment of African women to make it a reality rather than a mere statement.

Allow me to emphasize the five (5) major priorities areas that African women have identified as essential to empower them in achieving Agenda 2063. During the Consultation of Stakeholders held from 21st to 23rd January 2015, on the margins of the AU Summit, African women agreed on the following:

1. Women's health is a major concern in our countries since the sexual health and reproductive rights of women are still not sufficiently respected, which is why maternal and infant mortality rates continue to be high in the continent. I commend the national launches of the CAARMA (Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal, Newborn and Child Mortality in Africa). Its effective implementation will contribute to strengthening healthcare systems to benefit women and their socio-economic empowerment. We must invest in quality health services for all women and girls. I take this opportunity to recall the vulnerability and courage of women in countries affected by the Ebola virus outbreak. Women are paying the heaviest price for this epidemic, and special measures for their physical and mental recovery must be taken to protect them.

2. Quality education must be accessible for all our girls so that they do not become brides. This concern is one that’s shared today by many mothers and fathers in Africa, especially after the abduction of the Chibok Girls, in Nigeria. Africa needs a well-educated and prepared child and youth to succeed the elders. Agenda 2063 calls for the mobilization of an education revolution on the continent. This has been demonstrated by the Pan-African University, which is an educational institution that provides access to education in science and technology especially to young women and girls. Moreover, the private and public sectors of Information Communication Technology continue to provide training to girls and women, an effort that must be encouraged and promoted.

3. Peace and security on the continent is another priority of the African Union. It is an essential condition for the effective empowerment of women. Generally regarded as the most vulnerable group during armed conflicts and post-conflict, women should not only be seen in this light. Rather, it is necessary to see the contribution of African women in the peacekeeping process and the post-conflict reconstruction, and even in the transitional phase of justice and in the drafting of a new constitution. In the implementation of the AU program “Silencing the Guns by 2020”, the African Union is committed to mainstreaming gender in the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and its African Governance Architecture (AGA). For this, African women should be strongly engaged in policy and decision–making processes to reach 50/50 gender parity, especially during Presidential and Legislative elections on the continent. Women's voices should not count anymore as those of mere voters, but as candidates in instances relating to the highest decision-making bodies.

4. Agriculture is indeed one of the priorities that, if properly taken into account, will be the catalyst for the economic growth and social development of Africa. It is this vision that our African leaders had in 2014, when they declared it as the “Year of Agriculture” with the objective to achieve inclusive growth and sustainable development. The theme of 2015 "Year of Women’s Empowerment and Development towards Africa’s Agenda 2063" is indeed a continuation of this commitment.

How can we speak of inclusive growth and sustainable development without recognizing the work of some of our African population, consisting mostly of women in rural areas? African women constitute more than 70 percent of small farmers that help to feed the majority of the growing population of Africa. They are mainly present in the agricultural sector and the informal sector of the Agribusiness.

Despite this critical role, rural African women continue to work the land with archaic working methods such as the handheld hoe! African women made this clear when they said:

“THIS HOE, WE DO NOT WANT IT ANY MORE!! IT MUST HENCEFORTH BE CONFINED TO THE MUSEUM AS AN ARTIFACT! A SUBJECT OF ART FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS!”

Each male and female farmer should now have a “Tiller”, a modern agricultural working tool that gives more dignity to the human being in her/his function as a farmer by reducing heavy labor load and by contributing to increased yields in agriculture, fisheries, livestock and poultry.

5. Economic empowerment of women essentially aims at the creation of a Bank for African women as has been done in some African countries such as Ethiopia, an example that should be replicated throughout Africa. I congratulate all those African countries who have gone beyond microfinance and microcredit by including gender equality in the financial mechanisms. Indeed, we must harness the power of women entrepreneurship with increased access and control over resources by African women. Our continent is rich in natural resources but our people, and, in particular women, remain poor.

I would like to conclude my message of this day, 08 March 2015, by emphasizing that the effective implementation of the theme of 2015 requires joint and determined efforts by all stakeholders: the RECs, Civil Society Organizations, and of course our Development Partners. We need all of you, men and women, as actors and actresses to achieve the Africa we want.

I thank you and wish all of you a Happy International Women’s Day

SPEECH OF HER EXCELLENCY MRS. TUMUSIIME RHODA PEACE,
COMMISSIONER FOR RURAL ECONOMY AND AGRICULTURE OF THE
AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION
AT THE JOINT CELEBRATIONS OF AFRICA ENVIRONMENT AND
WANGARI MAATHAI DAY AND WORLD WILDLIFE DAY
MARCH 3, 2015, NAIROBI, KENYA

Your Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya
Your Excellency, The First Lady
Honourable Prof. Judi Wakhungu, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Water and Natural Resources
Honourable Cabinet Secretaries responsible for other portfolios
Your Excellency….., Director General of the United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON)
Your Excellency Angelina Wapakhabulo, High Commissioner of the Republic of Uganda representing the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps,
Heads of Diplomatic Missions and UN Agencies
Your Excellency Met Wilk, representing the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP),
Excellences Ladies and Gentlemen
All Protocol Observed,
Your Excellency, allow me to extend to you warm greetings and best wishes from your sister, Dr. Nkozasana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission and thank you and your government for graciously hosting thishosting this auspicious occasion. The dedication ofdedication of the government of the Republic of Kenya to the principles of environmental conservation and sustainable utilization of natural resources has been amply demonstrated.
Your Excellency, your global contribution to the causes of Africa is highly appreciated by the African Union.
The celebrations today are significant from several dimensions. Firstly, they provide a platform to raise awareness on the numerous environmental challenges facing our dear continent. The rate of degradation of our forests, land, biological and water resources, has increased to an alarming level. These challenges have been aggravated by the continuing menaces of climate change and desertification. We must tighten our belts to overcome these problems if we are to consolidate the gains we have registered in the last few years in our fight against poverty and underdevelopment and ensure the prosperity of African citizens now and in future.
The celebration, Your Excellency, on the other hand offers us the opportunity to honour and remember the life and work of late Professor Wangari Maathai, the Nobel Peace Laureate and the Founder of the Greenbelt Movement. This illustrious daughter of Africa epitomized environmental conservation and sustainable co-existence between man and nature. Her efforts led to greater political commitment and engagement for sustainable development and natural resources conservation not only in Africa but the world over. Her achievements, as you have heard from previous speakers, in championing the cause of grassroots’ women and other marginalized groups and the preservation of the Congo Basin Forests, among others, shall endure in our hearts and minds and in the life of our continent.
It was with this sobering reflection that the Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government in January 2012 called for the joint celebration of the Africa Environment and Wangari Maathai Day. Since then, this joint celebration has been held in several AU Member States representing the geographical regions of the continent; so far in Chad, Tunisia, last year: Lesotho and now Kenya. We also celebrate World Wildlife Day, while acknowledging that Wildlife is, indeed, an integral part of our environment which merits its conservation and sustainable use. It is an important natural endowment for Africa which contributes immensely to our socio-economic development. I, therefore, salute Your Excellency and your government for combining the celebrations which are meant to promote Africa’s sustainable development.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, the issue of wildlife conservation and illegal trade in wildlife products has gained prominence in the priorities of the African Union over the last few years. Your Excellency would recall that it was in June 2014 in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, that the African Union adopted the landmark decision on African Wild Flora and Fauna Conservation and Illegal Trade Wildlife.
This decision was spurred by the concern over the unsustainable utilization and conservation of Africa wild flora and fauna and the dramatic escalation of illegal exploitation and trade in wild flora and fauna in recent years, depriving African nations of their natural capital and cultural heritage thus undermining sustainable development as well as peace, security, rule of law and good governance in the continent. On the same note, our salutes go to the fallen heroes and heroines who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the course of defending Africa’s wildlife, and I thank Your Excellency for honouring these African women and men.
African Environment Day celebration this year is also special in its theme on Empowering Women for Sustainable Natural Resources Management. The theme draws inspiration from the AU 2015 Year of Women’s Empowerment and Development towards the Agenda 2063. For Africa to attain the espoused vision of Agenda 2063, we must continue to pay attention to building the capacities of women and enhancing their productivity and managerial skills of small scale women farmers in particular so that their potential is unleashed for the better of our continent. Mark you, women form more than 50% of the population of Africa.
Your Excellency, there is an increasing appreciation of the role of women in environmental stewardship in Africa. Indeed, women are closest to nature. They till the land for crop production, fetch water, collect fuel wood and medical products and plant and tender trees. Women form the bulk of farmers and produce a greater part of the foods we eat every day. Their activities in the fields thus impact on the landscape and determine the health of the ecosystem.
If women were to down their tools, there would be a shock and crisis. Therefore, women should be empowered and capacitated to access productive resources like land and water as well as technologies to enable them reduce the drudgery that otherwise pushes them into degrading the ecosystem. As part of the series of events of the celebrations, the African Union Commission in collaboration with Your Excellency’s Government, UNEP, ICRAF and the Greenbelt Movement is organizing a Women and Environment Forum on March 4th at the ICRAF Headquarters in Gigiri. The objective of the Forum is to provide a platform for women to debate on their achievements, challenges and opportunities in the realm of environment and natural resources management. The Forum will come with recommendations on policy and institutional reforms necessary to promote and consolidate women’s participation in the stewardship of Africa’s natural heritage with the support and collaboration of our men folks.
We look forward to a successful Africa Environment Day/Wangari Maathai Day and World Wildlife Day.
Long live African solidarity and our natural heritage.
I thank Your Excellency, distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, for your kind attention.

Statement by H.E. Mrs. TUMUSIIME Rhoda Peace,
Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture
African Union Commission
At the Occasion of the Fifteenth Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN)

Meeting of the Experts Group

02 – 04 March 2015

Cairo, Egypt
 
- Mr. Chairman / Madam Chairperson
- Mr. Kyaruzi Representative of the Minister of State, Vice President’s Office (Environment), United Republic of Tanzania and the President of the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN)
- H.E. Dr. Khaled Fahmy, Minister, Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs, Arab Republic of Egypt
- Eminent AMCEN Experts
- Mr. Mounkaila Goumandakoye, UNEP Director of the Regional Office for Africa
- Mr. David Ombisi of the AMCEN Secretariat
- Representatives of the Diplomatic Corps, Regional Economic Communities; African Institutions – African Development Bank, NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency, AUC, AMCEN Secretariat, UN Agencies – UNEP, UNDP, UNISDR, WMO, WHO and others here present
- Permit me to recognize the Representatives of the Development Partners – the EU, France, Japan and other here present
- Representatives of the Civil Society Group, the Press and Media Group
- Distinguish Delegates
- Ladies and Gentlemen

 
1. Let me start by welcoming you all to the meeting of the Experts Group of the Fifteenth Session of the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) and also express my warm greetings and the best wishes from the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

2. I would also like to register the appreciation of the African Union Commission to the government and the people of the Arab Republic of Egypt for hosting the AMCEN session for the second time in thirty years, the warm welcome and hospitality extended to all our delegations since arrival in this beautiful, fascinating and historic city of Cairo.

3. I wish to also commend UNEP, the AMCEN Secretariat, Climate for Development in Africa (ClimDev-Africa) Programme Partners, AU Monitoring of the Environment for Security in Africa (MESA) Programme Partners; the AUC-EU-ACP-UNEP Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) Programme Partners and other Development Partners for their cooperation and collaboration with the African Union Commission and to the organizers including the local team for all the efforts deployed in convening this important meeting.

Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen
4. It is indeed significant and timely that we all converge here because it is necessary to address the challenges at hand including the concerns such as the rate at which our lands are being degraded; our forests are being cut down, the unexploited potentials of our water towers coupled with their limited protection and many others.

5. As if these are not enough, climate change and its adverse impacts continue to increase and intensify in disrupting our livelihoods and development trajectory. Therefore, these serve as a clarion call to the Experts with the guidance of the Honorable Ministers, in the African Union Member States, at the continental level, through AMCEN, in championing policies, strategies, plans of action, programmes and projects for the sustainable development of our natural resources in a manner that will meet the needs of our generation and those of the future. We, therefore, look forward to your efforts in this regard.

Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,
6. Truly, our meeting today is taking place just after the 24th African Union Summit held in January 2015 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia under the theme: “Year of Women’s Empowerment and Development towards Africa’s Agenda 2063”, where some key events took place. First, the Member States commended the leadership of the outgoing Coordinator of the Committee of the African Heads of State and Government (CAHOSCC), H.E. Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania for steering the work of CAHOSCC from January 2013 to December 2014 including the Nineteenth and Twentieth Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 19 and COP 20) held in Warsaw and Lima respectively. Second, I am happy to inform you that the United Republic of Tanzania handed over the coordination of CAHOSCC to the Arab Republic of Egypt after a successful tenure in Office. Third, I further wish to inform you that the Assembly urged Member States to implement the CAHOSCC High Level Work Programme on Climate Change Action in Africa (WPCCAA) that was adopted in Malabo during the AU Summit, which convened in June 2014.

7. I am delighted that the AMCEN meeting is also taking place after His Excellency, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, the UN Secretary General convened the Climate Summit on 23 September 2014 on the margins of the 69th UN General Assembly (UNGA69) in New York. The Climate Summit provided a unique opportunity for the world leaders to champion an ambitious vision, anchored in actions that will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, strengthen climate resilience and mobilize political will, which will facilitate a meaningful and universe legally binding Agreement in December 2015 in Paris at COP 21/CMP11.

Honourable Ministers, Distinguished Delegates,

I am highlighting all these to show that our meeting today is indeed, a momentous occasion, strategic and at a critical juncture to save the life of our planet for generations to come also in view of some reasons: First, the global community is moving towards the adoption of the Post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan at the Third World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction from 14 – 18 March 2015. Second, the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is expected to be endorsed in September 2015 in New York as agreed during the World Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) held in Brazil in 2012; and Third, the new Climate Change Agreement is also expected to be adopted in December 2015 in Paris, France.

Excellences, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,

15.Looking at the agenda of the Experts Group, it is my conviction that the AMCEN has a critical role to play in ensuring the effective implementation of the AU Summit and AMCEN Decisions, particularly the issue of the implementation of the High Level Work Programme on Climate Change Action in Africa in the current global negotiations; the Operationalization of the Specialized Technical Committees of the AU, the implementation of the Decision on African Wildlife Flora and Fauna Conservation and Illegal Trade in Wildlife; ensuring that Africa continues to speak with one voice in accordance with our traditional practice in the global negotiations by reflecting the African Common Position (CAP) in the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in September 2015; and further advancing the African interests in the global Climate Change negotiations, under the political leadership of the new CAHOSCC Coordinator, H. E. Mr. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

Honourable Ministers, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen

16. Allow me to further seize this vital opportunity to reiterate that strengthening partnerships and working more closely will move the African Environment Agenda forward faster. In this regard, I wish to conclude by reassuring you all that the African Union Commission will continue to support the CAHOSCC, AMCEN and AGN processes, collaborate with all Development Partners, Stakeholders including the Civil Society Group and the Media Personnel on all environmental related activities towards promoting environmental sustainability in our dear African continent. Lastly but not least, I wish to once again thank AMCEN, its Secretariat and the Arab Republic of Egypt for the great organization of the Fifteenth session of AMCEN in one of the globe’s splendid and historic city.

I thank the Honourable Minister for sparing time to grace the opening of the AMCEN Experts Group Meeting. Thank you Sir.

I thank you all for your kind attention.

Shukuran ! Obrigada! Asante sana!! Merci beaucoupe !!!