U NEP

ROA News
ROA News is a Newsletter of the Regional Office for Africa (ROA) at UNEP, Nairobi, Kenya

N° 4 October 2002

World Summit on Sustainable C o n t e n t s

Development (WSSD) 1

Focus: WSSD:
“Today we have a new realism as a result of globalisation. So the action plan, • The Executive Director’s views
agreed here in Johannesburg, is less visionary and more work-man like reflecting • Putting words into action
perhaps the feeling among many nations that they no longer want to promise the • Sustainable development for Africa
Earth and fail. That they would rather step forward than run too fast,”
5

Africa charts its development course in

“ At various moments during these nego

tiations we were facing a much weaker
prospect for the environment and thus for
partnership with UNEP

8
sustainable development. I am satisfied that AMCEN-9: The Kampala Declaration on
what has been delivered is a step forward. the Environment for Development
While there will be disappointment that
11
nations failed to agree global time tables
and targets for boosting the level of renew- Africa Environment Outlook: Brief
able energy, it has been agreed that there presentation

is a need for regional and national targets 12

for renewable energy. We also have a com-
mitment to halve the number of people with-
out access to sanitation”.
Mr. Klaus Töpfer, who during the summit
has been a special advisor to UN Secretary-
General Kofi Annan, said one very positive
outcome was the new partnership between
governments, civil society, industry and the
United Nations (UN) in areas such as cor-
NEPAD: Key preparatory process and
steps
14
Environment in the structures of the African
Union
Mr. Klaus Töpfer, the executive Director of the United
Nations Environment Programme at the close of the 15
World Summit on Sustainable development
Industry : The Rotterdam Convention in
Africa

porate responsibility and environmental taking into account the International 17

standards.
“This must be welcomed. The development
of a 10-year framework with programmes
in support of sustainable consumption and
production patterns, based on science-
based approaches and life cycle analysis,
and has been agreed. We now also have an
initiative to encourage industry to improve
their social and environmental performance,
Organisation for Standardisation (ISO)
Ozone:
standards and the Global Reporting Initiative
• Phase out ODS in Africa: State of the art
in which UNEP has been involved,” he said. • Protection of the Ozone Layer through
Sustainable Farming
Mr. Töpfer also welcomed world leaders’
19
endorsement of the NEPAD, the sustainable
development initiative for Africa, and their The Nairobi River Basin project:
• Fresh funds for cleaner and healthier
support to regenerate agriculture and fish- Nairobi Rivers
eries and to implement food security strat- • An important milestone
egies on the Continent by 2005. ❐

30 Years UNEP: Environment for Development: People Planet Prosperity

 W S S D F o c u s

WSSD: Putting words into action

Outlines the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development and the benefit for Africa

T
he World Summit on Sustainable
Development, probably the largest
UN conference ever, is over. This
Summit was about responsibility, as stated
by the UN Secretary General in his address:
“ Responsibility for each other, but espe-
cially for the poor, the vulnerable and the
oppressed… Responsibility for our planet,
whose bounty is the very basis for human
well-being and progress and most of all, re-
sponsibility for the future, for our children,
and their children”.

More than 100 world leaders have deliber-

ated for ten days on how to put words into
action, ten years after Rio. At the conclu-
sion of this groundbreaking gathering, what
would stand as the Johannesburg legacy to
the world and especially to Africa?
Despite controversial issues and the disap-
pointment expressed by many among the
civil society that the summit did not pro-
duce an Action Plan that will provide a clear
road map for how to achieve sustainable
development, a Political Declaration was
adopted. This Declaration is meant to out-
line world leaders’ commitments to sustain-
able development and the Plan of
implementation of the WSSD. It sketches
their vision of future of the planet and, in
many ways, is the guiding document for the
social and economic development, and the
protection of the environment of the world
for the next decade.
Poor or non-existent sanitation kills 6,000 people a day including many children
year 2015. The European Union had an-
nounced the “Water for Life” initiative that
sought to engage partners to meet water
and sanitation goals, primarily in Africa and
Central Asia. The US announced 970 mil-
lion dollars in investments over the next
three years on water and sanitation
projects. The UN had received 21 other
water and sanitation initiatives with at least
20 million dollars in extra resources.
Agriculture
In this domain, the Global Environment
Facility would consider inclusion of the
Convention to Combat desertification and
drought as a focal area for funding. The
summit also pledged to develop food secu-
rity strategies in Africa by 2005. Besides,
the heads of state and government took note
of the US initiative that consisted in invest-
ing 90 million dollars in the promotion of a
sustainable agriculture by 2003. For that
purpose, the UN received 17 partnership
submissions with at least 2 million dollars
in additional resources.
Chemicals
Mr. Klaus Töpfer, the Executive Director of
the United Nations Environment Pro-
gramme said there had been important

World leaders and stakeholders in Johannes-

burg made clear achievements on water and
sanitation, health, agriculture and biological
diversity, energy among all issues discussed.

Water and sanitation

The summit has moved the international
community to take action on an essential
element in the fight to reduce poverty. Gov-
ernments have committed themselves to
halve the number of people without access
to clean water and proper sanitation by the World leaders at WSSD accepted the need to boost renewable energy to combat climate change

2 • ROA NEWS ISSUE NO. 4

 W S S D F o c u s
agreements in the area of chemicals. Gov-
ernments have accepted the need for a new,
international, approach for the management
of chemicals and the harmonisation of la-
belling and classification of chemicals,
which will be operational by 2008. Govern-
ments also committed, by 2020, to produce
and use chemicals in such a way that they
do not adversely affect human health. They
also agreed to step up international co-op-
eration in a bid to reduce the atmospheric
pollution and facilitate developing coun-
tries’ access to alternative chemicals not
harmful to the environment and man’s
health. Summit leaders also pledged to im-
prove developing countries’ access to envi-
ronmentally sound alternatives to ozone
depleting chemicals by 2010.
UNEP launched a report predicting massive destruction of Great Ape habitats in Africa over the next
Health 30 years

The US said it would spend 2.3 billion dol-
lars through 2003 on health, some of which
had been earmarked earlier for the Global
Fund. The UN had received 16 partnership
submissions for health projects with 3 mil-
lion dollars in resources.
Energy
The world’s nine major energy companies had
signed a range of agreements with the UN to
facilitate technical co-operation for sustain-
able projects in developing countries. The
European Union has announced a 700-mil-
lion dollar partnership initiative on energy,
while the US promised to invest up to 43
million dollars toward energy in 2003. The
South African energy utility Eskom said it
would engage in a partnership to extend
modern energy services to neighbouring
countries, while the UN received 32 partner-
ship submissions for energy projects with at
least 26 million dollars in resources.
Biodiversity
Governments have decided to reverse the
trends of losses of biological diversity by
2010 and reverse the trend in terms of deg-
radation of natural resources. A decision
to cease destructive fishing practices re-
store fisheries to their maximum sustain-
able yields by 2015 and establish marine
protected areas and networks by 2012, was
good news said Mr. Töpfer. The conserva-
tion of fishing resources in order to make
them benefit the mankind was also part of
the preoccupations of the conference. Some
initiatives were expected from 2004 to-
wards the setting up of a Global Plan of
Action designed to protect the marine en-
vironment from the terrestrial sources of
pollution.
Mr. Töpfer also pointed to the action plan
for small island states where governments
have agreed to reduce and prevent waste and
pollution by undertaking, before 2004,
initiatives aimed at implementing the Global
Plan of Action for the Protection of the
Marine Environment from Land Based
Activities (GPA).
Regarding trade, wealthy countries
committed themselves to start negotiating
fairer trade and aid deals with developing
countries.
South African President Thabo Mbeki, host
of the World Summit urged the UN to de-
velop mechanisms to quickly implement the
Summit’s action plan. He said for Africa,
issues agreed upon “are matters of life and
death” adding that, African leaders “can-
not be seen to fail to implement what they
endorsed. Although African countries
lacked the resources to implement the pro-
grammes as vigorously as they would want
to, partnership initiatives from the Summit
would be helpful on some issues”.
The Africa Ministerial Conference organ-
ised several important events including a
panel discussion attended by Maître
Abdoulaye Wade, President of Senegal and
President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed Taya
of Mauritania. A major Heads of State event
was also organised on the African Process
on the protection and management of
Coastal and Marine Environment in Sub
Saharan Africa.
At the end of the day, the World Summit on
Sustainable Development can be considered
a solid foundation for future actions to help
protect the planet. “I think we have achieved
success and I am satisfied with the results...
The summit has put sustainable develop-
ment firmly on the world agenda,” said UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan. It had laid a
solid foundation for the future and it was
now up to governments and their citizens
to ensure that the commitments made were
put into action, he said. ❐

ROA NEWS ISSUE NO. 4 • 3

U N E P i n A f r i c a

Sustainable development for Africa

Highlights the prospects for Africa in the light of The Plan of Implementation of the World Summit
on Sustainable Development

A n important lesson of this Summit is the desire expressed

by the international community to focus more on imple-
mentation to achieve the goals of sustainable development.
The chapter called Sustainable Development for Africa also sets
specific targets. The Plan of Implementation calls for support
to African countries to regenerate agriculture and fisheries
and implement food
Since the United Na- security strategies,
tions Conference on within the context of
Environment and national poverty
Development, sus- eradication pro-
tainable develop- grammes, by 2005. It
ment has remained also calls to signifi-
elusive for many Af- cantly improve sus-
rican countries. Pov- tainable agricultural
erty remains a major productivity and food
challenge and most security in Africa in
countries on the con- accordance with the
tinent have not ben- agreed Millennium
efited fully from the Development Goals.
opportunities of
globalisation, fur- The Plan of Imple-
ther exacerbating Environmental degradation increases poverty. A healthy environment is vital for economic growth mentation empha-
the continent’s sised the need to:
marginalisation. Africa’s efforts to achieve sustainable devel- • provide financial and technical support for Africa’s efforts
opment have been hindered by conflicts, insufficient invest- to implement the Convention to Combat Desertification at
ment, limited market access opportunities and supply side the national level and promote better land and watershed
constraints, unsustainable debt burdens, the impact of HIV/ management practices;
AIDS etc. • Mobilise financial and other support to develop and
strengthen health systems;
The World Summit on Sustainable Development has decided • Deal effectively with natural disasters and conflicts, in-
to reinvigorate the commitment of international community to cluding their humanitarian and environmental impacts;
address these special challenges and give effect to a new vi- • Promote integrated water resources development and ef-
sion based on concrete actions for the implementation of fective management of water resources across all uses
Agenda 21 in Africa. and the protection of water quality and aquatic ecosys-
tems;
Chapter VIII of the Plan of Implementation adopted by the Sum- • Achieve sound management of chemicals with particular
mit highlights the priority areas of focus for the continent. The focus on hazardous chemicals and waste;
international community pledges its support to the full imple- • Bridge the digital divide and create digital opportunity in
mentation of NEPAD through financing, technical and institu- terms of access infrastructure and technology transfer and
tional co-operation and human and institutional capacity building application through integrated initiatives for Africa;
at the regional, sub-regional, and national levels, consistent with • Support Africa’s efforts to attain sustainable tourism that
national policies, programmes. It also pledges support to other contributes to social, economic and infrastructure
existing development frameworks that are owned and driven na- development.
tionally by African countries and that embody poverty reduction
strategies.

4 • ROA NEWS ISSUE NO. 4

 U N E P i n A f r i c a

Africa charts its development course

In partnership with UNEP
Projects the role of UNEP in the context of new and emerging initiatives in Africa (African Union,
NEPAD and the post-WSSD)

A frica is at an important turning point,

marked by many encouraging trends
and developments. The constitution act of
the African Union has come into force in
Durban-South Africa, paving the way for the
transition to the African Union. The launch-
ing of the New Partnership for Africa’s De-
velopment (NEPAD) reinforces Africa’s
resolution to chart its development course.
The decision by the Heads of State to make
the New Partnership for Africa’s Develop-
ment a programme of the African Union
open a new era in the development process
of the continent. This would ensure their
ownership of the programme as an impor-
tant ingredient, which stimulates commit-
ment, inspires confidence and enhances the
prospects of active implementation.
The new organisation is expected to achieve
greater unity among African countries, ac-
celerate political and socio-economic inte-
gration of the region, formulate and promote
African common positions on issues of in-
terest to the region and to the international
community. For the first time in the history
of Africa, a strong and more focused re-
gional political, social and economic inte-
gration entity has been agreed upon. A clear
vision and programme has emerged as cen-
tral pieces to support and deliver what is
most needed for Africa, economic and so-
cial development.
The leadership of the region is judiciously
taking advantage of all the instruments
available to achieve its goals. African coun-
tries, with the involvement of all the
stakeholders are taking concrete steps to-
wards designing, directing and implement-
ing their policies and programmes
consistent with their needs and circum-
stances. While developing NEPAD, consult-
ing amongst themselves for the
establishment of the AU and mobilising the
international community’s support, they are
wisely integrating important issues such as
environment in the constitutional dispen-
sation. They are also seeking technical ex-
pertise available in the appropriate
institutions to address these critical issues.
UNEP has secured a leading role in the
preparation of the NEPAD documents
adopted at the Lusaka Summit and provided
logistical, technical and financial resources
for the full development of the environmen-

From left to right: Mr. Sékou Touré, Director, UNEP/ROA; Mrs Messeret Tilaye, Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; Mr. Klaus Töpfer, Executive
Driector, UNEP; H.E. Ambassador Murad Mussa, Permanent Representative of Ethiopia at UNEP; Mrs Beverly Miller, Secretary, Governing Council, UNEP; and
Mr Alex Alusa, Deputy Director, UNEP/ROA.

ROA NEWS ISSUE NO. 4 • 5

 U N E P i n A f r i c a
UNEP contributes in raising awareness on current and emerging environmental issues in Africa
tal initiative, endorsed by the African Min-
isterial Conference on the Environment
th
(AMCEN), at its 9 Session held in Kam-
pala from 1-5 2002.
New strategic direction for UNEP
in Africa
The confluence of African leadership, the
strong expression of support by the inter-
national community (EU, G8-June 2002 in
Kananaskis, Canada) and the commitment
of the United Nations provides fresh mo-
mentum for Africa’s development. There is
indeed an opportunity to be seized by all
stakeholders. The new context requires a
new orientation. How does the United Na-
tions Environment Programme (UNEP) po-
sition itself in this line?
The launch of the African Union, the world
wide recognition of the NEPAD as a sound
framework for the development of Africa
and the outcomes of the 9the Session of
AMCEN must be valued and integrated in
the strategies of UNEP.
6 • ROA NEWS ISSUE NO. 4
Africa has enjoyed substantive support from
UNEP in the past. This preference for the
Region has been translated into the articu-
lation of major programmes as well as a
special attention by the Executive Director
in fundraising for activities in Africa. In the
context of the several ongoing initiatives
in the continent, UNEP has engaged itself
in ensuring that it continues to play a sig-
nificant role in the region in line with its
mandate, particularly in response to its
governing council which has chosen Africa
to be one of the priority focus of its actions.
Partnership at political level
Considering the new developments at the
political level, UNEP must and will continue
to devote energy and resources to provid-
ing the best available service.
On a short term, UNEP will continue to sup-
port the NEPAD by ensuring that the envi-
ronment initiative is completed and, later,
implemented. Our immediate activity is
therefore to facilitate the harmonisation of
the ongoing processes to finalise the Action
Plan of the NEPAD, within the framework
agreed by the Steering Committee, namely
the holding of the thematic workshops and
remaining sub-regional consultations.
On the medium and long term, UNEP will
remain engaged in the implementation of
the NEPAD through facilitating the integra-
tion of the priorities identified by the envi-
ronment initiative of the NEPAD and
AMCEN into the intervention focus of in-
stitutions and organisations working in Af-
rica. UNEP will continue soliciting support
for these priorities from multilateral as well
as bilateral partners. One of the focuses will
be to facilitate the harmonisation of the Ac-
tion Plan of the NEPAD and the AMCEN
priority programme to bring coherence in
the work in the region.
In addition, UNEP must look into modalities
of assisting the work of relevant Commit-
tees of the African Union, particularly the

Committee on Industry, Science and Technology, Energy, Natural
Resources and Environment as this committee will be taking on
significant role on matters of environmental policy formulation
and implementation in Africa. In this regard, UNEP could provide
relevant environmental information, early warning of emerging
environmental problems and facilitate the exchange of informa-
tion between countries in the region.
The launch of the African Union and the NEPAD also occur in a
context where there is general agreement on the need for increased
role of sub-regional economic communities. The first Summit of
the African Union in Durban articulated the importance of sub-
regional and regional integration and the decision of Heads of
state to make the sub-regional economic communities the essen-
tial tool for the implementation of the vision of the African Union
and the NEPAD.
UNEP has collaborated with the sub-regional economic communi-
ties in the past. In the development and implementation of these
programmes, special effort should be made to collaborate with
institutions such as the African Development Bank, the World Bank
UNEP is developing rainwater harvesting systems for women in developing
countries
U N E P i n A f r i c a
UNEP is partner in the International Coral Reef Action Network. It aims to
boost the health of reefs in East Africa and globally
and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. UNEP
should build on the previous collaboration and engage these insti-
tutions more. Specific agreements could lead to joint program-
ming of activities.
At programmatic level
The new and emerging initiatives in Africa encompass, to some
extent, existing issues, though with new emphasis, which UNEP
will continue to address. In this regard, UNEP has to continue
playing an important role in the region, encouraging nations and
their citizen to co-operate in caring for the environment and achiev-
ing their development goals without compromising the ability of
future generations to achieve theirs. This implies that UNEP, at
the programmatic level, should reposition itself, and take a two-
pronged approach in handling the activities and issues of a spe-
cial importance to Africa: Ensure that Africa’s priorities are well
formulated and improve the delivery of its programme of work.
UNEP will carry out its African Programme in a different political
and economic environment. Therefore, the strategy will have a
component that ensures that UNEP’s activities are in the line with
priorities of the continent as it is being transformed by the new
initiatives coming out a of a change in political and economic
direction. These new developments offer a range of opportunities
for UNEP to consolidate its presence and role in Africa. The new
strategy will foster stronger collaboration with institutions for
regional integration. This strategy will even be more critical, in
the post WSSD era. UNEP will have to assess its role in all these
initiatives and catalyse specific activities. The Regional Office
for Africa will drive UNEP’s effort to facilitate the achievement of
these objectives by strengthening links with governments and
regional political groupings, establishing stronger ties with sub-
regional economic communities and reinforcing the environment
pillar of sustainable development. ❐
ROA NEWS ISSUE NO. 4 • 7
 A M C E N - 9
A New Strategic vision for AMCEN
KAMPALA DECLARATION ON THE ENVIRONMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT
Deeply concerned that Africa is the only
continent in the world where poverty is pro-
jected to rise during the twenty-first cen-
tury with far-reaching implications for its
environment and African people due to the
vulnerability of the continent, in particular
the least developed countries, to global en-
vironmental changes including climate
change and desertification,
Deeply concerned also about the increas-
ing environmental threats facing the Afri-
can continent and their adverse social,
cultural and economic impacts,
Noting with concern the increasing number
and frequency of emergency and crisis situ-
ations in African countries, particularly in
countries which continue to be devastated
by natural disasters such as volcanic erup-
tions and extreme weather phenomena such
as floods and droughts, threatening economic
and food security and political stability,
Welcoming the establishment of the Afri-
can Union,
Welcoming the adoption in 2001 of the New
Partnership for Africa’s Development as a
common African vision and agreed platform
to address the challenges facing Africa with
a view to achieving sustainable develop-
ment for the benefit of present and future
generations,
Noting with satisfaction the significant
progress that the African Ministerial Con-
ference on the Environment has achieved
since its inception in 1985 as the political
body for environmental advocacy and lead-
ership in the region,
Acknowledging the contribution towards
addressing African environmental chal-
8 • ROA NEWS ISSUE NO. 4
Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, Minister for Water, Land
and Environment, Uganda, President of AMCEN
lenges of the first Africa Environment Out-
look report launched on 4 July 2002,
Noting also with satisfaction the positive
role played by regional, sub-regional and
national bodies in promoting sustainable de-
velopment in Africa, particularly during the
consultative process in preparation for the
World Summit on Sustainable Development,
Further noting the role played by interna-
tional organisations, non-governmental or-
ganisations, the private sector and financial
development institutions in promoting sus-
tainable development in Africa,
Bearing in mind the fact that success in
achieving global sustainable development
will ultimately depend upon development
and implementation of sound and cost-ef-
fective national response policies and meas-
ures, good environmental governance,
effective participation by civil society and
collection and exchange of quality data and
information on the environment for use by
national decision makers,
Noting with concern that there are limited
financial resources to implement fully the
programme of work of the African Ministe-
rial Conference on the Environment for
2000-2004,
Noting also the lack of adequate capacity
for the African countries to implement mul-
tilateral environmental agreements rel-
evant to Africa particularly the African
annex of the United Nations Convention to
Combat Desertification in those countries
Experiencing Serious Drought and/or
Desertification, particularly in Africa,
Recalling the United Nations Millennium
Declaration adopted on 18 September 2000
in which the international community com-
mitted itself to supporting Africa in achiev-
ing sustainable development and
environmental protection,
Recalling also the commitments made by
the international community in Doha, in
December 2001, and at the United Nations
Conference on Finance and Development
held in Monterrey in March 2002,
Recalling also the commitments made at
the G8 summit held in Kananaskis, Canada,
in June 2002, aimed at supporting the New
Partnership for Africa’s Development,
Noting that the World Summit on Sustain-
able Development will be held in Africa, pro-
viding a unique opportunity to forge a new
partnership between Africa and its partners,
based on Chapter 8 of the Johannesburg Plan
of Action on New Partnership for Africa’s
Development as well as the shared vision to
make the World Summit on Sustainable De-
velopment a summit of implementation and
concrete action, particularly in the areas of
water and sanitation; energy; agriculture and
food security; land development; biodiversity
and education,

Emphasising the inextricable linkages be-
tween environmental management, poverty
eradication and development.
Emphasising also that an integrated, demo-
cratic institutional framework at the local,
national, regional and international level is
essential for achieving sustainable devel-
opment,
We, the African Ministers of Environment,
having met in Kampala on 4 and 5 July 2002,
at the ninth session of the African Ministe-
rial Conference on the Environment, guided
by:
(a) The strategic vision of Mr. Yoweri
Kaguta Museveni, President of the Re-
public of Uganda, on the environmental
challenges facing Africa and, in particu-
lar, on issues related to poverty eradi-
cation and its relation to trade, energy
and water presented on 4 July 2002 at
the opening of the meeting;
(b) The vision of Mr. Abdoulaye Wade,
President of the Republic of Senegal,
as outlined in his address to the meet-
ing on 5 July 2002 on the contribution
of the environment to the achievement
of the objectives of the New Partnership
for Africa’s Development, submitted in
his capacity as the designated Head of
State co-ordinating the environment
component of NEPAD
Hereby decide:
1. To fully implement the outstanding ac-
tivities contained in the African Ministerial
Conference on the Environment programme
of work, 2000 –2004;
2. To urge Governments to take the ac-
tion necessary to ensure that the General
Trust Fund for the African Ministerial Con-
ference on the Environment is replenished
within the inter-sessional period and re-
quest the President of the African Ministe-
rial Conference on the Environment to
mobilise additional financial resources from
2002 is the International Year of Eco Tourism. The Tourist Industry in Africa relies heavily on healthy
populations of charismatic creatures like rhino
bilateral and multilateral institutions in-
cluding the Global Environment Facility;
3. To welcome the expected decision of
the second Global Environment Facility As-
sembly to designate land degradation and
desertification as separate focal areas and
calls upon the Global Environment Facility
to give high priority to African countries in
allocating financial resources for success-
ful implementation of the action plan to
combat desertification;
4. To call upon the President of the Afri-
can Ministerial Conference on the Environ-
ment in close consultation with all the
relevant ministries to convene an urgent re-
gional meeting of the Conference with the
participation of the business sector, civil
society, non-governmental organisations
and the international community with a
view to forging strategic partnerships for
preparation and implementation of policies
and programmes of the African Ministerial
Conference on the Environment;
5. To call upon the President of the Afri-
can Ministerial Conference on the Environ-
ment as a matter of urgency, to forge
co-operative links with the secretariat of the
future African Union and its relevant com-
missions as well as the secretariat of the
A M C E N - 9
New Partnership for Africa’s Development,
with a view to harmonising institutional
arrangements taking into account the out-
come of the African Union summit held in
Durban in July 2002;
6. To commit our governments to the im-
plementation of multilateral environmental
agreements, including the harmonisation of
policies and institutional arrangements in
accordance with the outcome of the inter-
governmental environmental governance
process, as adopted at the special session
of the Governing Council of the United Na-
tions Environment Programme, held in
Cartagena in February 2002;
7. To commit ourselves to make every ef-
fort to integrate environmental concerns
into national pursuits of economic develop-
ment in Africa, while not neglecting the
priorities of the continent for sustainable
social, economic and human development,
particularly for the benefit of poor and
marginalised communities;
8. To strengthen co-operation with all re-
gional and sub-regional bodies, including
external partners, in the pursuit of sustain-
able human, social and economic develop-
ment in harmony with the environment;
ROA NEWS ISSUE NO. 4 • 9
 A M C E N - 9
9. To transmit to the African Union the decision taken by the
African Ministerial Conference on the Environment at its ninth
session on the revised Algiers Convention as contained in decision
5 of Annex I to the declaration;
10. To endorse the Framework of the Action Plan for the Envi-
ronmental Initiative of the New Partnership for Africa’s Develop-
ment including its annex on capacity-building and the related
decision as contained in annex I to the declaration;
11. To request that the action plan of the environmental initia-
tive of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development define for-
est ecosystems as one of the major areas of intervention and to
include an operational framework for harnessing data, informa-
tion and knowledge for sustainable development as a basis of na-
tional, sub-regional and regional integrated environmental
assessment and reporting;
12. To endorse the Africa Environment Outlook process as a moni-
toring and reporting tool for sustainable environmental manage-
ment and to provide a framework for national and sub-regional
integrated environmental assessment and reporting;
13. To endorse the proposal for the establishment of a compre-
hensive environmental information network to promote access and
harmonisation of data in the African region and act as a basis for
UNEP, with funding from Global Environment Facility (GEF), is building the
technical and legal skills of countries in Africa in the field of genetically-modified
crops.
10 • ROA NEWS ISSUE NO. 4
tracking environmental changes using quantitative indicators fo-
cusing on national needs;
14. To endorse also the common African position on the World
Summit on Sustainable Development as adopted by the ministe-
rial preparatory conference held in October 2001 in Nairobi, Kenya;
15. To endorse also the common African position on the World
Summit on Sustainable Development including its appendix on
elements to guide negotiations at the World Summit on Sustain-
able Development as contained in decision 1 of the attached an-
nex I of the declaration;
16. To mandate the African representative of the Friends of the
Chair of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, under
the leadership of African Ministerial Conference on the Environ-
ment, to further elaborate the common African position on the World
Summit on Sustainable Development and to make recommendations
on the implementation of the Johannesburg Plan of Action of rel-
evance to Africa, to the next meeting of the African Ministerial Con-
ference on the Environment through its bureau;
17. To urge all our Governments to attend the World Summit on
Sustainable Development at the level of Heads of State;
18. To encourage African partners to attend the World Summit
on Sustainable Development at the level of Heads of States;
19. To commit our Governments to the implementation of the
decisions adopted by the African Ministerial Conference on the
Environment at its ninth session;
20. To mandate the President of the African Ministerial Confer-
ence on the Environment to submit the Kampala Declaration and
its annexes to the summit of the African Union to be held in Dur-
ban in July 2002;
21. To express our gratitude to Mr. Abdoulaye Wade, the President
of the Republic of Senegal, for attending the ninth meeting of the
African Ministerial Conference on the Environment as well as his
offer to host an African conference on the selection of environmen-
tal projects under the environmental component of the New Part-
nership for Africa’s Development and take note of the proposal to
establish a secretariat for the implementation of the projects;
22. To pay tribute to the President of Uganda, Mr. Yoweri Kaguta
Museveni, his Government and the People of Uganda for the warm
welcome and the hospitality extended to participants of the ninth
session of the African Ministerial Conference on Environment
which greatly contributed to its success.
th
The complete report of the 9 Session of AMCEN is available at
www.unep.org/roa Or africa.unep.net ❐
 A E O u t l o o k

AFRICA
ENVIRONMENT
OUTLOOK

A frica is a top priority for UNEP. Along with the conti

nent’s human capital, its rich and abundant biodiversity
is of great importance, not only for Africans but also for the
entire world.

However, Africa faces a number of critical challenges such

as the growing deterioration of the environment, increasing
social and economic inequality in and among countries with
its associated impact on the environment, accelerating pace
of economic globalisation and its environmental impact on
Africa; and rapid changes in the global economy, in technol-
ogy, in consumption patterns and in population and
demographics and its environmental impact.
These challenges cannot be addressed in isolation, they re-
quire new thinking and vision and an urgency to act in an
integrated manner amongst all stakeholders within Africa and
globally. This is the consensus of African experts and col-
laborating institutions extensively consulted in the AEO proc-
ess.
Publishing the Africa Environment Outlook report is a sig-
nificant milestone in collaboration between the United Na-
tions Environment Programme (UNEP) and the African
Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN). The
AEO assessment methodology is modelled on UNEP’s Global
Environment Outlook process incorporating sound data, in-
formation and science, sub-regional, national and multi-
stakeholder perspectives, priority emerging issues with a
strong orientation toward sustainable development.
The AEO report provides details on the state of the environ-
ment over the last 30 years, the driving forces behind envi-
ronmental change, and the consequences for social and
economic development. These consequences are presented
both in terms of impacts on ecosystems, and vulnerability of
human populations to floods, droughts, earthquakes, pests
and diseases. The links between environmental change and
poverty are explored and appropriate intervention is points
identified.
The report provides an analysis of the historical and current
responses to environmental change and the impacts at the
regional, sub-regional and national level, with assessment
of their effectiveness. Building on this analysis, a series of
scenarios for the future are presented. These visualise alter-
native futures that could arise based upon potential deci-
sions and actions by policy makers. Africa environment
Outlook concludes with recommendations on the most ap-
propriate interventions for Africa.
The AEO report is therefore a very concrete tool for African
policy makers to look back and take stock of the pressing en-
vironmental issues concerning the region since the Stockholm
Conference of 1972 and to take action based upon current in-
formation and sound science. The policy options presented by
the scenario analysis provide an opportunity to look ahead
and address critical environmental, economic and social fac-
tors that the region faces.
The Africa environment Outlook is available at www.unep.org/
aeo or africa.unep.net ❐

ROA NEWS ISSUE NO. 4 • 11

 N E P A D

NEPAD: Key preparatory processes and steps

Describes the road to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development and particularly the development of the Environment
Initiative of the NEPAD and UNEP’s involvement throughout this process

I nitially called the Millennium Partner

ship for the African Recovery Pro-
gramme the initiative was launched by the
leaders of three African countries, Presi-
dent Mbeki of South Africa, President
Obansanjo of Nigeria and President
Bouteflika of Algeria. The aim of the pro-
gramme is to launch Africa on the path of
sustainable peace and accelerated develop-
st
ment at the beginning of the 21 century.
At the same time, UNECA was mandated
by the Conference of African Ministers of
Finance, in November 2000, to articulate a
new global Compact with Africa. The Com-
pact represents an important component of
Africa has been losing 5.2 million hectares a year of forest cover, according to UNEP’s Global Environment
ECA’s response to the implementation of the Outlook-3
Millennium Declaration, in particular the
section on Africa, adopted by the UN gen- very beginning to contribute to the process. • Workshop on the Programme of Action
eral Assembly at the Millennium Summit. We participated in several meeting with the for the Millennium Partnership for Af-
Similarly, Maître Abdoulaye Wade, Presi- view to elaborate further on the initiative: rican Recovery Programme (MAP), or-
dent of Senegal had submitted a plan called ganised in Abuja, Nigeria, from 2 - 4
OMEGA in January 2001, at the “France – • Joint Conference of Ministers of Finance June 2001;
Africa Summit” held in Yaounde, Cameroon. and Ministers of Planning and Economic • Meeting of the Drafting committee in
The OMEGA plan for Africa had similar ob- Development and an Intergovernmental Cape Town, South Africa on June 18,
jectives with focus on the four following ar- technical preparatory committee of ex- 2001;
eas: infrastructure, education, health and perts from the Member States, held in • Meeting of the Drafting Committee in
agriculture. Algiers, Algeria, from 2 -10 May 2001; Cairo Egypt, from 18 to 20 June 2001.

Formulation of the content of the

NEPAD

It was in this context that an extraordinary

meeting of the OAU took place in Syrte,
Libya in March 2001. The MAP and OMEGA
plans were discussed and an agreement was
reached to merge these two initiatives. To
this end, a Steering committee, comprising
Algeria, Nigeria, Egypt, Senegal and South
Africa was established. The aim was to en-
sure that Africa comes up with a single plan
to show the world that it is speaking with
only one voice.

Following the instructions of its Executive

A drylands project for Africa, which wipe conserve indigenous species and human knowledge has been
Director, UNEP committed itself from the drawn up with funding from the GEF

12 • ROA NEWS ISSUE NO. 4


UNEP participated in the meetings in Al-
giers and Abuja. These consultations led to
the following achievements:
• Agreement by ECA to support, as a tech-
nical institution, the process;
• Refinement and further development of
both the OMEGA and the MAP. The
merger of the two initiatives was
achieved at the last meeting of the Sec-
retariat of the MAP and the OMEGA in
Cairo, from 18 to 20 June 2001. Two ti-
tles were suggested for the new Plan:
New Partnership for African Recovery
Programme and Millennium Partner-
ship for African Recovery Programme.
An executive summary of the plan was
prepared and a final meeting at the min-
isterial level took place in Pretoria from
2 to 3 July 2001, to adopt the draft to
be submitted to the Lusaka Summit;
• The final executive summary was
adopted at the OAU Summit in Lusaka
from 3 to 11 July 2001.
It is important to note that UNEP was suc-
cessful in ensuring the integration of a full
environment component in the MAP (at the
Abuja meeting). The UNEP/GEF Co-ordina-
tion Office submitted a proposal for GEF
Funding. This was approved under the un-
derstanding that this will be implemented
with the full support of AMCEN. Among
other outputs, the proposal will analyse the
feasibility of an institutional mechanism for
Environmental Protection in Africa.
Throughout this development, UNEP as the
Secretariat to the African Ministerial Con-
ference on the Environment (AMCEN) kept
the Ministers informed on this development
through a number of meetings, including the
following:
• Inter-sessional meeting of AMCEN held
on 19 April in New York at the margins
of the CSD9;
• Meeting of the bureau of AMCEN held
on 8 September 2001, in Algiers;
• AMCEN Special Session during the Af-
rican Regional Preparatory Conference
for the 2002 World Summit on Sustain-
able Development, Nairobi, Kenya, 16
October 2001;
• Discussion on NEPAD during the GEF
Southern African Constituency Meeting
on 19 November 20001 in Pretoria dur-
ing which UNEP delegation paid a visit
to the NEPAD Secretariat.
Environment Initiative of the
NEPAD
In the development of the Environment Ini-
tiative of the NEPAD, UNEP facilitated the
establishment of a Steering Committee of
the MSP comprising of the members of the
Bureau of AMCEN and Steering Committee
members of NEPAD. The following coun-
tries are members: Algeria, Cameroon,
Egypt, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal,
Governments at WSSD agreed to halve the number of people without access to basic sanitation by 2015
South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia,
GEF Secretariat, UN Economic Commission
for Africa, OAU and ADB. At its first meet-
ing the Committee elected the following co
chairs: Zambia in its capacity as the cur-
rent chair of the OAU, South Africa in its
capacity as the incoming Chair of the OAU,
Nigeria in its capacity as the current
AMCEN Chair and Senegal as the lead des-
ignated country on the environment for
NEPAD. The following organisations are
part of the Steering committee: GEF Secre-
N E P A D
tariat, OAU, ECA, AFDB, IGAD, NEPAD
Secretariat, SADC and AMU.
At the kind invitation of the Government of
South Africa, the first meeting of the steer-
ing committee was held in Pretoria on the
th
17 January 2002. The primary objective of
this meeting was to agree on the modalities
and timetable for the implementation of the
MSP with a view of submitting a draft Afri-
can Environment Action Plan for review by
th
the AMCEN at its 9 Session to be held dur-
ing the first week of July 2002 in Kampala,
Uganda. The meeting requested the Secre-
tariat, in consultation with the members of
the Bureau, to prepare a draft outline of the
African Environmental Action Plan, based on
written contributions submitted by the mem-
bers of the steering committee.
The second meeting of the Steering com-
mittee was held in Algiers on 11 and 12
March 2002. The participants reviewed the
draft outline of the African Environmental
Action Plan. The participants agreed on the
following draft outline of the action plan:
background, Chapter I. on the state of the
environment in Africa, based on the find-
ings of the Global Environmental Outlook
for Africa; Chapter 2. On the environmen-
tal challenges facing Africa; Chapter 3. On
the Africa Environment Action Plan for the
ROA NEWS ISSUE NO. 4 • 13
 N E P A D
st
21 century; Conclusion, which will include
next steps, financial and institutional
mechanisms for the implementation of the
action plan. A framework for a strategic
plan on capacity building for Africa will be
contained as an annex to the action plan.
The draft framework is contained as an
Annex to this note. The participants agreed
on an initial set of criteria and guidelines
for the preparation of projects to be devel-
oped under the action plan. The partici-
pants also welcomed the offer of Algeria
to host a donor meeting for the implemen-
tation of the Action Plan upon its adoption.
The participants of the Algiers meeting
also agreed that the implementation of the
MSP on NEPAD will take into account re-
sults of the project on the Development and
Protection of the Coastal and Marine Envi-
ronment particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa
(African Process).
The third meeting of the Steering commit-
tee was held in Dakar on 12 and 13 June at
the level of experts and on the 14 June 2002
at the level of ministers. The meeting
adopted the framework of an Action Plan
for the Environment Initiative of the NEPAD
and agreed on a number of thematic work-
shops to be held to finalise the Action Plan.
It is important to note that the first meet-
ing of the Steering committee mandated its
bureau, at the level of ministers, to meet
the President of Senegal in his capacity as
the designated lead head of state for the
implementation of the environment com-
ponent of NEPAD. To this end, a meeting
between the President of Senegal and the
special envoy of the Executive Director was
held in Dakar on 25 February 2002. As a
result, and taking advantage of their par-
ticipation at the meeting in Dakar, the Min-
isters, members of the Bureau of the
steering committee met with President of
th
Senegal, in Dakar on 15 April 2002.
The decision of the Steering committee
th
meeting of Dakar was endorsed by the 9
Session of the African Ministerial Confer-
ence on the Environment (AMCEN) held
in Kampala from 1 to 5 July 2002. ❐

Environment in the structures of the

African Union

A careful analysis of both the Constitutive Act of the

African Union and the background documents of
the NEPAD shows that environmental features predomi-
Three organs will be handling environmental issues:

• The Executive Council shall co-ordinate and take deci-

nantly in priorities of Africa.
The organs of the AU are specified in Article 5 (Assembly
of the Union, the Executive Council, the Pan-African Par-
liament, the Court of Justice, the Commission, the Perma-
nent Representatives Committee, the Specialised Technical
Committees, the Economic, Social and Cultural Council,
the Financial Institutions, including the Central Bank, the
African Monetary Fund, the African Investment Bank). It
is also stated that the Assembly may decide to establish
other organs.
sions on policies in areas of common interest to the
Member States, including environmental protection, hu-
manitarian action and disaster response and relief (art.
13 (e));
• Technical Committee: there is a Committee on Industry,
Science and Technology, Energy, Natural Resources and
Environment (art. 14 (d). The Specialised Technical
Committees will be composed of Ministers or senior
officials responsible for sectors falling within their
respective areas of competence.

In Durban, only the Assembly of Heads of State, the Ex- • The Commission. Being the administration of the Un-
ecutive Council, the Commission and the Committee of ion, they will also have some responsibilities in this
the Permanent representatives were launched. area. ❐

14 • ROA NEWS ISSUE NO. 4

 I N D U S T R Y

The Rotterdam Convention in Africa

Lack of communication, technical expertise, Financial and human resources identified as major constraints to the
implementation of the Convention in Africa

T he amount of toxic waste stemming from obsolete pesticides

in Africa is higher than previously estimated, the UN Food
and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said in a statement released
on 18 September 2002. FAO estimates that the toxic waste in Af-
rica alone amounts to around 120 000 tonnes, with more than 500
000 tonnes worldwide.

These pesticides seriously threaten the health of both rural and

urban populations, and contribute to land degradation and water
pollution. Toxic pesticides and other hazardous chemicals kill or
seriously sicken thousands of people every year. They also poison
the natural environment and damage many wild animal species.
Despite the committed efforts to address the problem, obsolete
pesticides continue to accumulate.

Every African country has stockpiles of obsolete pesticides and

associated waste such as heavily contaminated soils and millions
of containers. Many of these countries suffer from weak import
controls, poor storage and stock management, and lack of train-
ing in appropriate pesticide use.

This dramatic growth in chemical production and trade has raised

worldwide concerns about the potential risks posed by hazardous
chemical and pesticides. In response to these concerns, the United Toxic waste in Africa amounts to around 120,000 tonnes
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the food and Agricul-
ture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) started to address
this problem in the 1980s by establishing a voluntary Prior Informed
operate a voluntary PIC procedure, in order to continue to protect
Consent procedure (PIC).
human health and the environment from certain hazardous chemi-
cals and pesticides, pending the entry into force of the Conven-
PIC required exporters trading in a list of hazardous substances
tion and to prepare its effective operation once it enters into force.
to obtain the prior informed consent of importers before proceed-
ing with the trade. In September 1998, governments decided to th
The 8 session of the intergovernmental negotiations committee
strengthen the procedure by adopting the Rotterdam Convention,
(8-12 October 2001) has requested the Secretariat to develop a
which makes PIC legally binding. The Convention establishes a
complete manual for the Designated National Authorities (DNAs)
first line of defence by giving importing countries the tools and
serving as focal points to the Rotterdam Convention. This manual,
information they need to identify potential hazards and exclude
which will include the feedback from DNAs would facilitate a bet-
chemicals they cannot manage safely.
ter understating of the DNAs obligations towards the convention.
If a country agrees to import chemicals, the Convention promotes
their safe use through labelling standards, technical assistance, The Secretariat was also requested to provide a practical training
and other forms of support. It also ensures that exporters comply to DNAs by organising regional workshops on the Rotterdam con-
with the requirements. vention.

Governments, through the Conference of plenipotentiaries, also It is, in this line that the Dakar workshop was organised from 10-
considered that interim arrangements are required to continue to 14 June 2002 by the Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention in

ROA NEWS ISSUE NO. 4 • 15

 I N D U S T R Y
• Increase the awareness of the DNA on the Rotterdam conven-
tion;
• Evaluate the needs on practical training during the workshop;
• Train the African DNAs on the various forms related to the
convention;
• Increase the understanding of the documentation process;
• And facilitate discussion and exchange of experience among
DNAs in the region.

About 53 participants representing African Designated National

Authorities, Industry sector, NGOs, Universities from 26 African
countries and Donors from the Kingdom of Belgium attended the
meeting.

Discussions centred on the convention overview and obligations in

relation to imports of chemicals, training on the dangerous pesti-
cides forms, information exchanges challenges and issues to be ad-
dressed and opportunities for regional collaboration and partnership.

During the session of the Regional co-operation, the Regional Of-

In the East African Region, the numbers un-served basic sanitation doubled
over the last decade to 19 million people
collaboration with UNEP’s Regional Office for Africa to meet the
following objectives:
• Encourage the implementation of the Rotterdam Convention
on PIC;
fice for Africa proposed that the implementation of the Rotterdam
convention be promoted via the African Ministerial Conference on
the Environment (AMCEN). Participants also expressed concern
about the lack of communication, technical expertise, Financial
and human resources as major constraints to the effective imple-
mentation of the Rotterdam Convention in Africa.
The outcome of this workshop will be presented during the next
Inter-governmental Committee meeting scheduled from 30 Sep-
tember to 04 October 2002 in Geneva. ❐

Africa stands to suffer most from the impact of climate change despite producing only 3.5% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions

16 • ROA NEWS ISSUE NO. 4

 O Z O N E

Phasing-out Ozone depleting Substances (ODS)

in Africa: State of the Art
Explains region’s efforts and constraints in phasing out the ODS with the assistance of UNEP Ozone Action Programme

F ollowing the adoption of the Vienna

Convention for the Protection of the
Ozone Layer in 1985 and its Montreal Pro-
tocol on Substances the Deplete the Ozone
Layer in 1987, the international community
has been taking necessary measures to phase
out substances that deplete the Ozone Layer
(ODS: Ozone Depleting Substances).

Although the depletion of the ozone layer is

not seen as a major environmental issue for
most African countries, the Africa region is
actively taking part in implementing the
Montreal Protocol. To date, 49African Coun-
tries are Parties to the Vienna Convention
and the Montreal Protocol. The Montreal
Protocol aims at phasing-out ODS through
the replacement of industrial, commercial
and domestic equipment using ODS by non-
ODS based equipment.
One major concern of African countries in
the implementation of the Montreal Proto-
col is the dumping of obsolete ODS-based
technologies from developed countries as
well as the import of second-hand or new
but still ODS-based equipment (especially
refrigerators, freezers and chillers) from
Europe and Asia.
To combat such traffic, African countries
need to take urgent measures to ensure that
regulations (including licensing systems)
are put in place. Such measure will help
prevent the continent from becoming a
dumping ground for obsolete technologies
and equipment, which will soon become of-
no-use, as the substances used for servic-
ing them will have been phased-out by
producing countries.
As of July 1999 African countries started
implementing the first control measure un-
der the Montreal Protocol, applicable to
developing countries i.e. the freeze in both
production and consumption of ozone-de-
pleting substances. Thereafter, gradual
phase out of CFCs (ChloroFuloroCarbons)
Mr. Jeremy Bazye, Regional Ozone Network Coordinator.
and other substances will go on until 2010,
the expected phase out date for most of
these substances. Final phase-out of all
substances is expected by 2040.
To assist developing countries in their ef-
forts to phase out ozone-depleting sub-
stances, Parties to the Montreal Protocol
have been implementing a financial mecha-
nism, the Multilateral Fund, which provides
grants for industries to shift to Ozone
friendly technologies.
Through this Fund UNEP is providing the
training for technicians mainly in the re-
frigeration sector, as well as public aware-
ness and institutional strengthening as part
of ODS phase out strategy. UNEP has also
put in place a networking system within its
regional offices, the ODS Officers Network
(ODSONET), to enables National Ozone Of-
ficers to meet frequently and exchanges
experiences on the implementation of their
respective country programmes for ODS
phase out. From 1993 to the year 2001, up
to US$ 150 Millions were provided to Afri-
can countries for the implementation of
ODS phase-out activities with the support
of UNEP, UNDP UNIDO and the World Bank.
UNEP Regional Office for Africa was involved
in the implementation of the Multilateral
fund since 1995 through the ODS Officer
Network for Africa (ODSONET/AF). Through
this network UNEP is providing support to
countries in the region to in terms of capac-
ity building awareness raising and enforce-
ment of control measures to prevent the
dumping of ODS based obsolete equipment.
UNEP OzonAction Progamme recently
launched a new approach to increase UNEP
assistance to developing countries in com-
plying with the provisions of the Montreal
Protocol on substances that deplete the
Ozone Layer. This new Compliance Assist-
ance Progamme (CAP) has allowed UNEP
to strengthen its regional offices for direct
delivery of services to the countries.
In the Africa Region, the Compliance As-
sistance Progamme which started in Janu-
ary 2002 is now fully operational and is
expected to help in keeping all African coun-
tries in full compliance with the ODS phase-
out schedule. The medium term objective
for the Africa CAP Progamme is to reduce
ODS Consumption in the region by 50% of
its freeze level by the year 2005. The freeze
level consumption (13,251 tons) is the av-
erage consumption between 1995 and 1998.

ROA NEWS ISSUE NO. 4 • 17

 O Z O N E
Ozone layer Protection through Sustainable
farming
UNEP enhances the capacity of NGOs in promoting methyl bromide alternatives
Most of farmers worldwide will confirm that
Methyl Bromide is one, if not the best of
pesticides when it comes to its output in
agriculture. They have been relaying on it
for years to make sure that they produce
crops in good quantities to ensure food se-
curity. But this pesticide has proved very
toxic and harmful to human health and the
environment. Methyl bromide is also a big
threat to the ozone layer. Experts are now
looking for alternatives to this highly per-
forming pesticide.
In this line, UNEP is implementing a project
entitled, “Enhancing the Capability of Lo-
cal Agricultural Organisations and Non-gov-
ernmental Organisations in Methyl Bromide
Communication”. The main objective of this
project is to raise awareness among farm-
ers and methyl bromide users about the
methyl bromide phase out. The project also
enhances the capacity of NGOs in promot-
ing methyl bromide alternatives and in net-
working with other NGOs across the globe.
The Second NGO Consultative Meeting on
18 • ROA NEWS ISSUE NO. 4
UNEP’s Methyl Bromide Communication
Progamme, was organised by UNEP’s Divi-
sion of Technology, Industry and Econom-
ics and the Regional Office for Africa from
17-18 September 2002 at UN Headquarters,
Nairobi Kenya.
The main objective of this second meeting
involving thirteen countries is to assess the
result of the communication Progamme and
explore way of developing other activities
for the extension of this Progamme. One
important issue being discussed at the
meeting is the strengthening of the inter-
relation between the NGOs community and
government institutions involved in the
Ozone Layer protection Progamme in car-
rying across the phase out message to farm-
ers and methyl bromide users around the
globe.
The selected NGOs/agricultural organiza-
tions NGOs from the twelve countries,
namely Chile, Cameroon, Costa Rica, Do-
minican Republic, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi,
Nigeria, Philippines, Senegal, Thailand,
Zambia, and Zimbabwe have been working
in close cooperation with the National Ozone
Units in each country in developing and im-
plementing the communication programme.
This ensures that the communication pro-
gramme is integrated with other national
ozone protection activities to ensure a
countrywide approach to ODS phase out.
The consultative meeting reviewed the sta-
tus of the activities undertaken by NGOs,
the extent of the completion of outputs
through and explored a strategy for a fu-
ture NGO Communications Network on
methyl bromide phase out, and concrete
actions and strategies to popularize the in-
troduction of available alternatives by me-
thyl bromide users.
It provided an opportunity to gather views
of the NGOs on the impact of the pro-
gramme in countries and to receive sugges-
tions from NGOs on ways in which the
programme might be improved and made
more sustainable and replicable. This meet-
ing also provided an opportunity for NGOs
farther ahead in the process to exchange
information and to learn from each other
regarding plans and strategies that can be
used to implement their communication
programmes.
Considering that the phase out date of me-
thyl bromide in the developing countries is
2015, and taking into account that there
are currently no control measures for me-
thyl bromide in Quarantine and Pre-ship-
ment (QPS) use, coupled with the critical
agricultural use exemption of methyl bro-
mide, the NGOs concluded that the UNEP’s
Methyl Bromide Communication Pro-
gramme is of a long term nature. ❐
 N a i r o b i R i v e r B a s i n P r o j e c t

Fresh funds for cleaner and

healthier Nairobi Rivers
UNEP and the French Embassy signed financing Agreement to help improve provision of good quality water and promote
environmental sanitation in Kianda Village, Nairobi

T he Government of France, through its

Ambassador in Nairobi, Pierre
Jacquemot, signed a Financing Agreement
on September 18th 2002 for US $ 65,000
with the United Nations Environment Pro-
gramme - Regional Office for Africa (UNEP-
ROA) to support the improvement of health
and well-being of people living in a section
of the Kibera informal settlement (Kianda
Village) in Nairobi. UNEP-ROA was repre-
sented by its Director, Sekou Toure.

The French funds will be used to improve

the provision of good quality water, and,
through public awareness campaigns and
UNEP-ROA has engaged in restoring Nairobi riverine system as a source of clean water
education, promote environmental sanita-
tion and waste management practices.
Nairobi. Other stakeholders and partners Small Grants Programme, the Nairobi City
These activities will be implemented by a
to the NRBP include the Government of Council, and the UNCHS-Habitat.” ❐
local non-governmental organisation - the
Kenya, Government of Belgium, UNDP/GEF
African Network for the Prevention and Pro-
tection against Child Abuse and Neglect
(ANPPCAN), and a Community-based or-
ganisation (Ushirika wa Maisha na
Maendeleo Kianda - UMMK) translating in
English as: Co-operation for Livelihood and
Development for Kianda. UNEP-ROA will
source technical support and manage the
funds under this Agreement.

The French support is part of a larger ini-

tiative managed under UNEP- ROA - the
Nairobi River Basin Project - which is a
multi-stakeholder pilot project to restore to
the capital city its riverine system as a re-
source of clean water and to promote a
healthier environment for the people of Clean up activities involving UNEP-ROA in Nairobi

ROA NEWS ISSUE NO. 4 • 19

 N R B P r o j e c t

An important milestone

F ollowing the successful completion

of Phase I, involving not only a situ-
ation assessment but also the develop-
ment of community and education
programmes to enable capacity building
amongst stakeholders, Project Phase II
commenced in September 2001.

Phase II is constituted of six pilot

projects, each directed at demonstrating
a methodology to combat the pollution
of Nairobi’s rivers. The projects are fo-
cused on the Motoine/Ngong River. Work
is now well underway on all of the sub-
components.

The Kibera Water and Sanitation Pilot

Project: To date, the project site has been
identified; community mobilisation has
been ongoing with bi-weekly clean-ups
in the project area; potential sites for
drainage construction, ablution blocks,
recycling centre and information kiosk
have also been identified; and community
committees have been established to co-
ordinate individual aspects of the project.
The Water Hyacinth Utilisation Project
also continues successfully. This project
is training artisans in making household
products and furniture from the invasive
water hyacinth. The first training courses
were held at the Nairobi Sailing and Sub-
Aqua Club in March, April and June 2002.
Finished products have been on-show at
exhibitions at the Nairobi Yaya Centre and
Carnivore Grounds.
The Public Awareness Campaign is on-
going. Media coverage has been positive
and consistent. Special Events have been
organised for World Environment Day,
World Water Day (2002) and for Clean
up the World. A Project documentary, un-
http://www.unep.org/roa Tel: (254-2) 624292 Fax: (254-2) 623928
ROA.Information.Officer@unep.org or Angele.Luh@unep.org
dertaken with Television Trust for the En-
vironment was shown at the UN Water Sup-
ply and Sanitation Collaborative Council
2001 Bonn Water Forum. Azimuths have
also undertaken documentary filming on the
project for UNDP and distribution to over
150 television networks. Most recently, a
community education poster has been de-
veloped with messages originated from the
residents of Kibera informal settlement.
The Environmental Impact Assessment
(EIA) Report for the Constructed Wetlands
Project upstream of Nairobi Dam and for
the water hyacinth purification ponds has
been undertaken. The report has been sub-
mitted to the Kenya National Environment
Management Authority for review. A sepa-
rate EIA has also been undertaken for the
Constructed Wetlands Project at the Kenya
Wildlife Service (KWS) Headquarters and
has been submitted to KWS for review.
Working in close collaboration with agen-
cies including, UN-Habitat, Nairobi City
Council, IUCN - The World Conservation
Union, and Network for Water and Sanita-
UNEP, Regional Office for Africa
tion International (NETWAS), the Pol-
lution Monitoring Network Project has
moved forward successfully. The Pollu-
tion Monitoring Strategy Paper has been
completed and, building on this, the
project undertook Baseline Samplings in
March 2002. The project EMIS mapping
system has been updated from these re-
sults and the latest maps are included
in the completed report on the samplings.
Successful interventions of Phase II
will be replicated on a larger scale in
Project Phase III.
Further information and details may be
obtained from the NRBP website,
www.unep.org/ROA/Nairobi_River ❐
U NEP

20 • ROA NEWS ISSUE NO. 4