Manama, 12 February 2007 – The Director and Regional Representative of the United Nation Environment Programme/Regional Office of West Asia, Dr. Habib N. El-Habr announced that UNEP Governing Council was wrapped up at UNEP Head Quarters in Nairobi, Kenya. The Opening of the 24^th Session of the Governing Council (GC24)/Global Ministerial Environmental Forum (GMEF) was commenced on the 5^th of February, 2007, and attended by several Arab Ministers: HRH Prince Turki Bin Nasser Bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia, Chairman of the Executive Bureau of (CAMRE), H.E. Cherif Rahmani, Minister of Environment of Algeria, Chairman of CAMRE 18^th Session, H.E. Dr. Yousif Abu Safia, Chairman of Environmental Quality Authority of Palestine, H.E. Ms. Narmin Othman Hassen, Iraqi Minister of Environment, and H.E. Dr. Abdulrahman Al Eryani, the Yemeni Minister of Water and Environment.

UNEP GC Forum discussed important issues such as the state of environment, emerging environmental policy issues, coordination and cooperation within the UN system on environment and sustainable development, coordination with civil society, international environmental governance, and UNEP water policy and strategy, as well as other global environmental concerns.

Dr. El-Habr stated that : “among the issues relevant to the Arab Region addressed in the meetings were: the establishment of an international center for training Judges on environmental legislations in Egypt, a decision on integrated and safe management of solid municipal waste presented by Morocco, naming 2010-2020 the Decade of deserts and desertification combat presented by Algeria. Furthermore, on the environmental situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, UNEP restated its commitment to continue the implementation of recommendations contained in the two studies that were prepared by UNEP; and to assist the Palestinians in their efforts to tackle the environmental challenges in the Occupied Palestinians Territories”.

“Moreover, among the important events that coincided with the 24^th Session of the GC24/GMEF was the Joint Ministerial Meeting held between the Arab States and the Community of South American Nations on Environmental Development between the two Regions. The meeting aimed at enhancing cooperation in environmental protection fields and achieving sustainable development in the Arab Region and in Southern America in the framework of south-south cooperation, and on the basis of coordinating environmental collaboration between developing countries. The Arab-South American Meeting adopted a Joint Ministerial Communiqué in this regard” he added.

“The GC24/GMEF also addressed two important international issues: Globalization and the Environment, and the UN Reform through Ministerial Roundtables, the first was moderated by Syria and the second by Saudi Arabia”.

UNEP has as well launched the Global Environmental Outlook (GEO) Year Book 2007 which addresses environmental challenges and opportunities facing the Arab Region; including the safe management of chemicals, forests protection, water recourses management, to the environmental impacts of armed conflicts. Notably, the GEO report mentioned some success stories from the region such as the diligent phase-out of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS).

“It is of importance to highlight that UNEP Regional Offices of West Asia, which has more than 10 Arab international experts, will continue its cooperation with member states in the Region to achieve the mission and objectives of the UNEP global & regional Programme, and to pursue the implementation of the GC24 Decisions through activities and projects to benefit the region & its Peoples within the framework of Bali Strategic Plan on Capacity Building and Technology Support  relevant to environment and sustainable development.