02 Mar 2022

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi is in Nairobi, Kenya to attend the 50th anniversary United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) celebrations.

Dubbed UNEP@50, the organisation’s  golden jubilee commemoration, which has attracted global leaders and environmental stakeholders, is scheduled for today and tomorrow.

Other than partaking in the UN Environment Assembly special session deliberations and addressing it, Dr Masisi is also scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with Kenyan President Mr Uhuru Kenyatta later today.

Tomorrow, the President will pay a courtesy call on UN under secretary general and UNEP executive director Inger Andersen.

The special session will discuss creating environmentally sustainable development towards a resilient and inclusive post pandemic world.

It follows the UN Environment Assembly held Monday-Wednesday at UNEP’s Nairobi headquarters which brought together representatives of 193 UN member states as well as global business and civil society delegates.

Before departure on Monday,  President Masisi said as a signatory to the Paris Climate Change Accord, Botswana subscribed to the ideals of managing climate change in order to  mitigate its effects.

To that end, Botswana had several projects in place, he said.

Dr Masisi explained that  an international treaty placed different obligations on countries requiring those which polluted the most to reduce pollutants.

The President said Botswana had set targets and was well within reaching them citing  the soon to be published Integrated Resource Plan allowing for the use of more renewal energy.

“But the real reality is the rich countries, the ones who have the resources and have made a pledge to provide financial assistance for the adaptation by these countries such as ours have not met their part of the bargain,” he said.

Dr Masisi said developing nations would reiterate their call for financial assistance noting that for the world to be saved from climate change, everybody must play their part.

Botswana, he said, would continue to be ethical and play its part.

UNEP was founded in 1972 following the UN Conference on Human Environment in Stockholm, Sweden, a landmark international forum which brought together global leaders to discuss environmental concerns.

Its mandate includes monitoring the state of the environment, informing policy and coordinating the world’s response to environmental challenges.

UNEP has so far organised the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and  Development (also known as the “Earth Summit”) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the 2002 World Summit On Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa and another similarly titled summit in Rio de Janeiro in 2012.

The organisation also introduced the biennial UN Environmental Assembly, now in its fifth session.

UNEP@50 is held under the theme, “Strengthening UNEP For The Implementation Of The Environmental Dimension For The 2030 Agenda For Sustainable Development.”

President Masisi is accompanied by ministers Lemogang Kwape and Philda Kereng for international affairs and cooperation and environment, natural resources, conservation and tourism respectively. Ends