LINKAGES AFRICA
Reporting on Environment and Sustainable Development in Africa
Issue # 1: 2 April, 2007
Editor: Richard Sherman
Executive Editor: Kimo Goree
Published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)
Distributed exclusively to the AFRICASD-L list by IISD Reporting Services
For more information on the African Regional Coverage Project visit
http://www.iisd.ca/africa
Editor's note: Welcome to the first issue of Linkages Africa. We hope to provide this service
on at least a fortnightly basis. If you should come across a news article or have a submission
for the next issue, please send it directly to richards@iisd.org. Linkages Africa is an
exclusive publication of IISD for the AFRICASD-L list and should not be reposted or
republished to other lists/websites without the permission of IISD (you can write to Kimo
for permission.) If you have been forwarded this issue and would like to subscribe to
AFRICASD-L, please visit http://www.iisd.ca/email/africasd-L.htm
KEY EVENTS
EXPERTS MEETING OPENS WITH CALL FOR THE SCALING-UP OF RESOURCES TO
MEET MDGS; PREPARES FOR CSD-15
29 March 2007: The 26th meeting of the Committee of Experts, which precedes the Economic Commission
for Africa's (ECA) Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development,
opened with a call from United Nations Under-Secretary-General and ECA Executive Secretary, Abdoulie
Janneh, for African governments to scale up investments in order to ensure the continent achieves the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Janneh said “the central message of this Conference therefore is
that this continent must scale up all interventions in order to meet the MDGs by the target date. And it must
do so now, drawing on both internal and external resources.” The session included a presentation and
debates on Africa’s priorities for the upcoming session of the Commission on Sustainable Development,
and discussion on the ECA’s intergovernmental machinery. The experts meeting ran from 29 March to 1
April and the recommendations of the Committee will be presented to the Conference of African Ministers
of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, which runs from 2-3 April.
Presentations:
Opening Remarks by Abdoulie Janneh, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ECA
Assessment of Progress on Regional Integration in Africa, Robert M. Okello, Director, NEPAD and
Regional Integration Division of ECA
The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD): The way forward Robert M. Okello, Director,
NEPAD and Regional Integration Division of ECA
Follow-up of the Implementation of the Outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development
(WSSD) Josué Dioné, Director, Food Security and Sustainable Development Division of ECA
Mid-Term Progress Review on MDGs, Thokozile Ruzvidzo, Officer in Charge African Centre for Gender
and Social Development of ECA
Financing Development in Africa: Review of Progress and Challenges, Hakim Ben Hammouda, Director,
Trade, Finance and Economic Development Division of ECA
The Brussels Programme of Action: Review of Progress, Hakim Ben Hammouda, Director, Trade, Finance
and Economic Development Division of ECA
Aid for Trade (AFT), Hakim Ben Hammouda, Director, Trade, Finance and Economic Development
Division of ECA
Intergovernmental Machinery A Review, Urbain ZADI, Officer in Charge, Office of Strategic Planning and
Programme Management of ECA
Proposed Programme of Work and Priorities for the Biennium 2008-2009, Urbain ZADI, Officer in
Charge, Office of Strategic Planning and Programme Management of ECA
Source: UN Economic Commission for Africa
ECOWAS MINISTERIAL MEETING ON BIOSAFETY ADOPTS REGIONAL ACTION PLAN
29 March 2007: The third ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) Ministerial
Conference on Biotechnology, held in Accra, Ghana from 28-31 March, concluded with the adoption of an
action plan for the development of biotechnology and biosafety in West Africa. The ‘2006-2010 Action
Plan for Meeting the Challenges of Biotechnology and Biosafety’ aims to support the development of
biotechnology in West Africa, improve agricultural productivity and competitiveness, and manage genetic
resources in a sustainable manner. The action plan is based on three pillars: biosafety, biotechnology
application, and coordination, monitoring, evaluation and communication strategy and policy. The Plan of
Action was prepared by the ECOWAS Commission in line with the decision taken by ministers at their
second meeting held in Bamako, Mali, in June 2005.
Source: ECOWAS
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY REGIONAL HUNTING WORKSHOP
28 March 2007: The Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional hunting workshop was
held from 26-28 March 2007 at Tau Lodge in Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa. Deliberations over
the two days centred on how innovative wildlife management can be made instrumental to the development
and proper management of wildlife and land held under communal ownership. The workshop afforded
local community representatives the opportunity to share experiences with their counterparts and jointly
strategize on how to integrate indigenous communities into the mainstream of the lucrative international
professional hunting industry that thrives throughout SADC.
Source: Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, North West Provincial Government
G8 DEVELOPMENT MINISTERS MEETING: OUTCOMES FOR AFRICA
27 March 2007: G8 development ministers and senior officials, meeting from 26-27 March, under the
theme “Fighting Poverty – Shaping Sustainable Development – Strengthening Global Partnerships” agreed
to strengthen regional cooperation in Africa, as well as prepared inputs to the G8 Summit on a range of
issues, including health systems, climate change and conflict prevention. The meeting was the first G8
development ministers meeting attended by ministers from Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa
and by high-level representatives from African organisations. The organisations represented included the
African Union (AU), the African Development Bank (ADB), the East African Community (EAC), the
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Intergovernmental Authority on
Development (IGAD) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The Chair’s Summary,
inter alia, notes agreement to promote the development of cross-border infrastructure and to give extra
support to African organizations responsible for regional economic cooperation by helping to develop their
capacities and to take into account the essential role of local communities and civil society. Chair’s
Summary
Source: Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
LAUNCHING OF THE AFRICAN NETWORK OF THE GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR ICT AND
DEVELOPMENT
27 March 2007: More than fifty representatives from African governments, civil society organizations
(CSO), private sector actors, academia and international organizations took part in the launch and first
meeting of the African Regional Network of the UN Global Alliance for ICTs and Development (GAID)
on 23 March 2007. The meeting adopted the creation of a Steering Committee composed of three
facilitators from academia, government and CSO representatives from West, Central and North Africa subregions to steer the African GAID Network with the assistance of ECA, which hosts the secretariat. The
launch will be followed by on-line discussion of the GAID Africa structure and modalities of action to be
drafted by the steering committee. The GAID launch took place alongside the African Civil Society Forum,
jointly organized by CONGO, the African Women's Development and Communication Network
(FEMNET), the ECA and African Union, from 22-23 March 2007, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Prior to the
event, 12 members of African Civil Society Network in the Information Society (ACSIS) met to discuss
ACSIS coordination strategy for promoting the African Information Society Initiative (AISI)
implementation by civil society organizations in general and ICT4D activities towards accelerating MDGs.
The meeting ended with recommendation on north-south-south cooperation, partnership, ICT & MDGs,
universal access and resource mobilization, which were submitted, to the global Civil Society Forum. More
information can be obtained from tamoussougbo@uneca.org
Source: UN Economic Commission for Africa
SANBIO WORKSHOP ON THE SCIENTIFIC VALIDATION OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINES
FOR AFFORDABLE TREATMENTS FOR HIV/AIDS AND OPPORTUNISTIC INFECTIONS
26 March 2007: The Southern African Network for Biosciences (SANBio) organized a planning workshop,
from 15-16 March 2007, on ‘The Scientific Validation of Traditional Medicines for Affordable treatments
for HIV/AIDS and Opportunistic Infections’ in Lusaka, Zambia. SANBio is an intergovernmental
organization and flagship programme which falls under the NEPAD/African Biosciences Initiative. The
workshop addressed a number of issues, including how to: develop guidelines for the protection of
Intellectual Property Rights and safeguarding rights of holders of indigenous knowledge; and establish
selection criteria to prioritize biodiversity species for research, including interactions with holders of
indigenous knowledge and the review of data that may exist or is being generated through clinical
observations on patients voluntarily getting treatment from traditional healers for treatment of HIV and
opportunistic infections. The workshop agreed on several outcomes, including a: legal framework for the
region; project plan of action and budget for establishing a regional framework for collaboration in
traditional medicine; and indicative inventory of regional capacity in research on traditional medicine and
HIV/AIDS.
Source: NEPAD Office of Science and Technology
TICAD MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT FOR
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
23 March 2007: The TICAD (Tokyo International Conference on African Development) Ministerial
Conference on Energy and Environment for Sustainable Development took place from 22-23 March in
Nairobi, Kenya. The conference was co-organized by the Government of Japan, the United Nations, the
Global Coalition for Africa (GCA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World
Bank, and co-hosted by the Government of Kenya, and the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP). The conference, attended by 100 delegations of governments and regional/international
organizations as well as non-governmental organizations from Africa, Asia, Europe and North America,
focused on Africa’s sustainable development, poverty eradication and energy priorities. The Ministerial
meeting is part of the preparatory process for the fourth TICAD Summit to be held in 2008.
Further reading:
UN Secretary-General’s Video Message
ECOWAS Energy Programme for Presentation at Development Forum
Japan Pledges more Development Support for Africa, Hana News
Achim Steiner's speech at the TICAD Conference on Energy and Environment for Sustainable
Development Nairobi, 22 March 2007
President underscores Government’s commitment to supply sustainable energy, PPS
UK LAUNCHES FOREST PARTNERSHIP IN AFRICA
21 March 2007: In his 2007 budget statement, Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced
that “Britain will lead the way working with helping developing countries to address climate change. And I
can announce financial support of £50 million for a path breaking ten country initiative across central
Africa to prevent the destruction of the second largest rain forest in the world. Led by Nobel Prize winner
Wangari Maathai it will help the livelihoods of 50 million people now under threat.”
Source: UK Treasury
THE 6TH INFORMAL NORDIC-AFRICAN FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING DISCUSSES
CLIMATE CHANGE
20 March 2007: The 6th Informal Nordic-African Foreign Ministers meeting took place in Oslo, Norway
from 19-20 March 2007. The meeting, attended by Foreign Ministers from South Africa, Senegal, Benin,
Botswana, Ghana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Mali, Senegal, Nigeria, Zambia, Norway, Sweden, Iceland,
Denmark and Finland, discussed issues regarding peace and security challenges in Africa, climate change,
and United Nations reform. The Nordic-Africa Forum was launched in 2000, by the late Swedish Foreign
Minister Anna Lindh, with a view to discuss matters of mutual interest in an informal setting. South
Africa’s Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma led the discussions on peace and security
challenges in Africa focusing on the role of the African Union (AU), improving relations between the UN
Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council including a focus on specific conflict
areas in the continent of Africa. Norway’s Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre addressed the Forum on
climate change and its impact on Africa, addressing a number of issues, including: challenges highlighted
in the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Working Group I Report; vulnerability of
African countries to the adverse effects of climate change, adaptation to climate change; transfer of
climate-friendly technologies, and shared challenges and experiences as well as the potential for joint
initiatives. Tanzania’s Foreign Minister led discussions on United Nations reform issues, which focused on
the November 2006 report of the High Level Panel on System-wide Coherence. In addition to the NordicAfrican Forum, Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs also hosted an informal “Global Health and Foreign
Policy Initiative” meeting of Foreign Ministers from Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, Senegal, Sweden and
France. The meeting discussed several proposals related to the adoption of the “Foreign Policy taking up
the challenges of Global Health;” the Oslo Ministerial Declaration entitled “Global Health: A Pressing
Foreign Policy Issue of our Time;” and a roadmap on Global Health and Foreign Policy.
Further reading:
Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre: Opening statement at 6th informal Nordic-African Foreign
Ministers Meeting
Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre: Climate Change statement
Sources: Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; South African Government Communications and
Information Service
SPAIN FUNDS UN-HABITAT PROJECT IN 3 AFRICAN COUNTRIES
19 March 2007: The Government of Spain has committed new funding of US$592,000 for UNHABITAT’s Rapid Urban Sector Profiling for Sustainability (RUSPS) programme in the Democratic
Republic of Congo, Mozambique and Senegal. The RUSPS programme undertakes assessments of urban
conditions in selected cities. It entails undertaking a rapid analysis of the current urban situation in several
thematic areas with urban stakeholders. These areas include governance, access to basic services, slums,
local economic development, the environment and gender. The studies focus on priority needs, capacity
gaps and look at how existing institutions at local and national levels respond to urban issues. The goal of
the studies is to develop urban poverty reduction policies at local, national and regional levels. In these
three countries, stakeholders agreed, during city consultations, on areas for priority action including the
need to strengthen local governance, enhance public participation in planning and budgeting, strengthen
institutions and ensure gender mainstreaming as key pre-conditions for poverty reduction and sustainable
urban development.
Source: UN-Habitat
SOUTH AFRICA AND THE UK BOOST CO-OPERATION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
AND CLIMATE CHANGE
16 March 2007: South Africa and the United Kingdom have agreed to team up to tackle key international
sustainable development issues including climate change. South Africa’s Minister for Environmental
Affairs and Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, and UK Environment Secretary, David Milliband,
released a joint statement establishing the South Africa-UK High-Level Dialogue on Sustainable
Development including a Working Group on Climate Change. The Dialogue is designed to strengthen
bilateral ties in a broad range of policy areas and provide leadership on sustainable development. It also
aims to provide a framework for cross-Government collaboration on both sides and for contacts between
stakeholders in each country. The key themes in the SA-UK Sustainable Dialogue are: climate change and
energy for sustainable development; sustainable consumption and production; environmental enforcement;
and mainstreaming sustainable development.
Source: South Africa’s Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
AFRICA-EUROPE ENERGY FORUM 2007
March 2007: In response to an invitation extended by the German government and the European
Commission, more than 220 representatives of African and European countries, international financial
institutions, UN organizations, NGOs and other decision-makers met in Berlin, from 6-7 March, for the
Africa-Europe Energy Forum 2007. The main outcomes, outlined in a Chair’s Summary, included
agreement to pursue cooperation regarding the continuation of the Africa-Europe Energy Partnership;
addressing climate change in energy investment planning; exploring Africa’s energy resources, including
oil, gas and renewable resources; increasing sources of funding and energy investments; addressing
corruption in the oil and gas sectors; the need to address technology transfer, with a focus on locally
adapted and affordable technologies; increased regional cooperation; improving energy access and energy
services to meet the MDGs; and energy efficiency. The outcome of the Africa-Europe Energy Forum was
presented to EU development ministers at their informal meeting on 12-13 March 2007 and will be
submitted to the Forum of Energy Ministers of Africa (FEMA) meeting in Maputo on 28-30 March 2007.
Ministers are urged to endorse the Africa-Europe Energy Partnership and to pave the way for a launch
under the umbrella of a joint EU-AU Africa strategy at the EU-Africa Summit in December 2007 under
Portugal's upcoming EU Presidency.
Chair’s Summary
African-Europe Energy Partnership
AFRICAN REGIONAL CONSULTATION OF THE CONSULTATIVE PROCESS TOWARDS AN
INTERNATIONAL MECHANISM OF SCIENTIFIC EXPERTISE ON BIODIVERSITY
4 March 2007: The African Regional Consultation of the Consultative Process Towards an International
Mechanism of Scientific Expertise on Biodiversity (IMoSEB) brought together over 90 experts in the
second of a series of regional meetings for the IMoSEB process. Participants at the consultation, which
convened from 1-3 March 2007, in Yaoundé, Cameroon, heard presentations, exchanged views and
discussed needs identified and various options on a possible IMoSEB. They considered expertise for Africa
and potential users of an IMoSEB; discussed institutional and financial aspects of an IMoSEB; reached
general consensus on the need for an IMoSEB; and identified an interest in exploring a pilot project for the
African region.
IISD Report
REPORTS
2007 ECONOMIC REPORT ON AFRICA
29 March 2007: The 2007 edition of the Economic Report on Africa (ERA 2007), the United Nations
Economic Commission for Africa’s annual flagship publication, will be launched on 3 April 2007. The
report, titled “Accelerating Africa’s Development through Diversification”, notes that African economies
continued to sustain the growth momentum of previous years, recording an overall real GDP growth rate of
5.7% in 2006. Copies of the report will be available on the ERA 2007 website at
www.uneca.org/era2007 from 13:00 GMT on Tuesday 3 April 2007.
WATER IN AFRICA: MANAGEMENT OPTIONS TO ENHANCE SURVIVAL AND GROWTH
28 March 2007: More than 300 million Africans live in water-scarce environment where progress is
hampered through constrained food production, health and industrial development, according to a new
report by the NEPAD Support Unit of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). To redress the
situation, says the report, “Water in Africa: Managing Options to Enhance Survival and Growth,” African
countries need to invest in the continent's potential water resources, reduce the number of people without
access to safe water and sanitation, ensure food security by expanding irrigation areas and manage
droughts, floods and desertification. It says Africa is using less than 4 per cent of its renewable water
resources for agriculture, domestic supply, sanitation and industry. “There are, therefore, water resources
available that, if developed and managed sustainably, will enable Africa reach its water-related goals set
within the framework of the MDGs and the Africa Water Vision 2025,” the report says. Full Report
Source: UN Economic Commission for Africa
OPTIMIZING UN RESOURCES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFRICA’S ENERGY SECTOR
26 March 2007: A new publication by the NEPAD Support Unit of Economic Commission for Africa
(ECA) says most African countries continue to depend on biomass for their energy use and that electricity
use per capita on the continent is less than 2 per cent. “Without access to sufficient, quality and reliable
energy, every social and development activity is critically constrained,” says the publication, “Optimizing
UN Resources for the Development of Africa’s Energy Sector.” The publication also highlights the specific
roles that various UN agencies have played in support of NEPAD’s objective of improving energy in
Africa and outlines the challenges to greater achievement.
Full Report
Source: UN Economic Commission for Africa
SUMMARY OF THE FIFTH SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THE REVIEW OF
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UNCCD
12-21 March 2007: The fifth session of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification’s
Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC 5) met in Buenos Aires,
Argentina, from 12-21 March 2007. The main focus of the review was the implementation of the UNCCD
in affected country parties in regions other than Africa. The Committee discussed national experiences and
the results of regional meetings in Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Northern Mediterranean, and
Central and Eastern Europe. Most of the session was devoted to panel presentations and discussions on
selected topics, including: participatory processes, legislative and institutional frameworks, linkages and
synergies with other environmental conventions, measures for the rehabilitation of degraded land, drought
and desertification monitoring and assessment, financial resources, know-how and technology transfer,
improving information communication and national reports, and investments in rural areas in the context of
combating land degradation and desertification. The meeting also reviewed the 2006 International Year for
Deserts and Desertification and the draft ten-year strategic plan for the Convention.
IISD Reports
REPORT OF THE 2007 BIG TABLE: MANAGING AFRICA'S NATURAL RESOURCES FOR
GROWTH AND POVERTY REDUCTION
The 2007 Big Table, organized jointly by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African
Development Bank (AfDB), took place at the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC) in Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia on Thursday, 1 February 2007. The 2007 Big Table sought to advance discussions on the
challenges of effectively managing Africa's natural resources for growth and poverty reduction on the
continent. It also discussed an agenda for future action.
Report PDF version
Report HTML version
UPCOMING MEETINGS
SAICM Regional Meeting: Arab Subregion: 1-2 April 2007, Cairo, Egypt. This subregional meeting on
SAICM for Arab countries will be held at the Cairo headquarters of the League of Arab States. For more
information, contact: UNEP Chemicals; tel: +41-22-917-8334; fax: +41-22-797-3460; e-mail:
saicm@chemicals.unep.ch; internet:
http://www.chem.unep.ch/saicm/meeting/arabsubreg/april07/default.htm
UNECA: Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development: 2-3
April 2007, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development
are to meet to discuss how to accelerate growth on the continent to meet the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs). One important area for discussion will be the design of the right mix of interventions that
African countries need to implement in order to accelerate growth and development. Other key topics for
discussions include: Growth, Employment and Inequality in Africa; Scaling up Financing and Public
Sector Investments; Planning, Monitoring and Tracking Economic Performance; Peace and Security; and
Partnerships and Globalization. For more information, contact: Laurent Agossou, Head Conference
Coordination Unit; tel: + 251 11 5514945; fax: + 251 11 5513155; e-mail: Lagossou@uneca.org; internet:
http://www.uneca.org/cfm/2007/
Desertification in Africa: 2-4 April 2007, Algiers, Algeria. This meeting hosted by the Pan-African
Parliament Committee on Rural Economy, Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment aims to
raise awareness of desertification among African politicians and define an African framework for
combating desertification. For more information, contact: Chara Bachir, Chair, Pan-African Parliament
Committee on Rural Economy, Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment; fax: +213 (0) 21-7336-98; e-mail: chara_bachir@yahoo.fr; internet: http://www.africaunion.org/organs/pan%20african%20parliament/home.htm
All Africa Officials Meeting of the African Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban
Development: This meeting is tentatively scheduled from 2-3 April 2007. For more information, contact:
Thembinkosi Lehloesa, Secretariat; tel: +27 12 421-1412; fax: +27 12 341-8513; e-mail:
thembinkosi@housing.gov.za; internet: http://www.housing.gov.za/amchud/
The Third Ordinary Session of African Union Conference of Ministers of Health (CAM3): 9-13 April
2007, Johannesburg, South Africa. The session takes place under the theme “Strengthening Health Systems
for Equity and Development.” For more information, contact: M Modisenyane, AU Conference
Coordination Unit, Department of Health, South Africa; tel: +27 12 312 0434; fax: +27 12 312 0876; email: ModiseM@health.gov.za; internet: http://www.doh.gov.za/camh3
Young Entrepreneurs in Africa: Making African cities better places to work, live and do business:
15 April 2007, UN-Habitat Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. The workshop brings together representatives
from youth groups, city level decision-makers and private sector stakeholders to discuss market
opportunities, best practices and business models to strengthen youth entrepreneurship in urban areas.
Participants will identify potential partnerships and projects involving youth and address the challenges and
opportunities for providing sustainable housing and services in deprived urban areas. For more information,
contact: UN-Habitat; tel: +254 20 7623694/762 4290; fax: +254 20 7624266; e-mail
christine.auclair@unhabitat.org or mutinta.munyati@unhabitat.org; internet:
http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?cid=4491&catid=26&typeid=11&subMenuId=0
Fifth Ordinary Session of the African Union Labour and Social Affairs Commission: 16–21 April
2007, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. For more information contact: For more information, contact: Katrina
Liswani, Head of Labour, Employment and Migration, African Union Commission; tel: +251-11-5517700
Ext. 301/221; fax: +251-11-5533616; e-mail: liswanik@africa-union.org or kaliswani@yahoo.com;
internet: http://www.africa-union.org/root/UA/Conferences/2007/avril/SA/16-21%20avr/meeting.htm
Twenty-First Session of the UN-Habitat Governing Council: 16-20 April 2007. Nairobi, Kenya. Every
two years, UN-HABITAT’s work and relationships with its partners are examined by a Governing Council
composed of 58 member countries of the United Nations. It is a high-level forum of governments at the
ministerial level that sets UN-HABITAT’s policy and approves the agency’s work programme and budget
for the next two years. For more information, contact: Information Services Section; tel: +254-20-7623120;
e-mail: press.unhabitat@unhabitat.org; internet:
http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?cid=3840&catid=26&typeid=11&subMenuId=0
GWP Conference on Financing Water Infrastructure in Eastern Africa: 16-18 April 2007, Nairobi,
Kenya. For more information, contact,: Regional Coordinator, GWP Eastern Africa, c/o Nile Basin
Initiative Secretariat; tel. +256 (41) 321 424; 321 329; fax 320 971; 323 231; e-mail: sthuo@nilebasin.org
or gwpena@nilebasin.org; internet: http://www.gwpforum.org/servlet/PSP?iNodeID=2932
International Conference on Climatic Changes and their Impacts on Coastal Zones and River Deltas:
Vulnerability, Mitigation And Adaptation: 21-25 April 2007. Alexandria, Egypt. The topics to be
discussed during this conference are: global climate changes; mitigation and adaptation; forecasting sea
level rise based on climate models results and other techniques; impacts of sea level rise on groundwater
and soil salinization in river deltas; impacts of global climatic change on river deltas and coastal zones from
a geo-environmental and socio-economic point of view; implications of climate changes in the wider Nile
River Delta; long-term vulnerability of natural resources to global warming and change; and soil and water
treatment. For more information, contact: Conference Secretariat; e-mail: amhkhater@yahoo.com; internet:
http://www.ccie.eg.net/index.html
Water Management Africa 2007: 23-24 April 2007, Pretoria, South Africa. This Pan African event aims
to provide solutions to the growing problem of water scarcity in Africa ranging from productive water
management and use strategies, legislature, infrastructure development and funding, to coping with climate
change and human resources development at community, governmental and industrial levels. This event is
a platform for sharing water governance strategies and knowledge, which will be useful in harnessing
productive water management and governance strategies in Africa. For more information, contact: Sekila
Molapo; tel: +27 82 863 0318; fax: +27 21 461 6616; e-mail: sekila@koetsa.com; internet:
http://www.koetsa.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=29
Early Lessons for Implementation of Adaptation to Climate Change Projects in South-eastern
Africa: 24-25 April 2007, Maputo, Mozambique. This meeting is being hosted by IISD and SSN with
IIED/CLACC. Across south-eastern Africa, various organizations are developing or are in the process of
implementing projects specifically designed to support adaptation to climate change. To date, there has
been little communication or sharing of experiences between the individuals and organizations
implementing these projects. As implementation of adaptation projects is a relatively new field,
considerable benefit could be derived from encouraging the establishment of a more strongly linked
community of practice in south-eastern Africa, an area that is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate
change. For more information, contact: Jo-Ellen Parry, IISD: tel: +1 204 958-7722; fax: +1 204 958-7710;
e-mail: jperry@iisd.ca; internet: http://www.iisd.org
Experts Meeting on the revised Model Law on Safety in Biotechnology: 25-27 April, Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia. For more information, contact: African Union Commission, Department of Human Resources,
Science and Technology; tel: +251-1-51-75-23; fax: +2511-551-7844 or 2511-550-5928; e-mail:
hambanim@africa-union.org or hamdya@africa-union.org; internet: http://www.africa-union.org
Third Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic
Pollutants (COP-3): 30 April 2007-4 May 2007. Senegal, Dakar. COP-3 will take place from 30 April
2007 to 4 May in Senegal, Dakar. For more information, contact: Stockholm Convention Secretariat; tel:
+41-22-917-8191; fax: +41-22-797-3460; e-mail: ssc@pops.int; internet: http://www.pops.int/
Linkages Africa is published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) <info@iisd.ca>,
publishers of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin © <enb@iisd.org>. The Director of IISD Reporting Services is Langston
James “Kimo” Goree VI <kimo@iisd.org>. The Programme Manager of the African Regional Coverage Project is
Richard Sherman <richards@iisd.org>. Funding for the African Regional Coverage Project has been provided by South
Africa’s Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism through the IISD/DEAT/UNEP ROA project for IISD
Reporting Service coverage of African regional meetings. IISD can be contacted at 161 Portage Avenue East, 6th
Floor, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 0Y4, Canada; tel: +1-204-958-7700; fax: +1-204-958-7710. The opinions expressed in
Linkages Africa do not necessarily reflect the views of IISD. For information on IISD RS, including requests to provide
reporting services, contact the Director of IISD Reporting Services at <kimo@iisd.org>, +1-646-536-7556 or 212 East
47th St. #21F, New York, NY 10017, USA.