The Arab Forum for Environment & Development (AFED) announced the launching of its work program during a press conference organized on the occasion of Environment 2007 conference and exhibition held in Abu Dhabi. The conference, addressed by AFED’s Secretary General Najib Saab, has been the first public proclamation of the regional Forum, after it gained the status of regional non-governmental organization, with associated immunities as international agency granted to its Beirut-based secretariat. AFED is a pan-Arab civil society initiative, grouping corporate leaders, NGO’s, media and experts, along with government agencies.

Secretary General of the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi Majed Mansouri conveyed the greetings of Mohammad Bawardi, founding member of AFED’s Board of Trustees and Managing Director of the Environment Agency. He expressed his gratification that the regional organization was launching its programs from Abu Dhabi, and announced that the Environment Agency will cooperate with AFED and support its work, “as it is inevitable to join forces among all regional stakeholders in the sustainable development arena."

Director of Environment and Sustainable Development at the League of Arab States, Mrs. Fatima Al-Mallah, conveyed best wishes of the Secretary General Mr. Amr Moussa for a successful launch of AFED programs. She commended the “unique structure of AFED, which allows for true partnership between the civil society and governments.” Mallah announced that AFED was invited to participate in the activities of the Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for the Environment (CAMRE), and said she was confident “it will provide strong contribution to the Arab endeavors towards achieving sustainable development.”

AFED’s Secretary General, Najib Saab, addressed the meeting, expressing his pleasure to launch the work program from Abu Dhabi “the capital of Arab environment.” He expressed hope that AFED will succeed in “encouraging Arab businessmen and economic institutions to collaborate in the direction of opening an Arab common market for products which are friendly to the environment, as well as in the direction of unifying environmental measures. On this level, the Forum fosters the creation of links among Arab chambers of commerce and industry, as well as the scientific research centres and educational institutions. The Forum will seek to prompt governments to adopt environmental laws in conformity with the nature of the problems currently prevailing in the Arab world, with an emphasis on putting legislations into effect.”

AFED Programmes

Saab said that the main output of AFED is the annual report on the State of Arab Environment (SAE), evaluating the progress towards the realization of sustainable development goals and examining Arab contribution to global environmental endeavors. The report will be discussed during the annual General Assembly of the Forum, designed to group high-level representatives from all active players in the environment and sustainable development arena.

Alongside the report, AFED is launching special programs covering: Corporate Environmental Responsibility (CER), including Cleaner Production, in cooperation with major Arab corporations; Environmental Awareness and information, in cooperation with regional media leaders; Environmental Education; Environmental Legislation; Environmental Governance; Water Resources Management; Combating Desertification; Waste Management.

Najib Saab invited all concerned stakeholders to join the new regional organization, explaining that AFED’s membership “provides a platform through which members can reach a wider audience, in both the public and private sectors, while allowing networking and exchange of environmental knowledge and expertise.”