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Achim Steiner assumes office as UNDP boss

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Achim Steiner assumes office as UNDP boss

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has welcomed Achim Steiner as he begins a four-year term as Administrator of the organisation.

Achim_Steiner
UNDP Administrator, Achim Steiner. Photo credit: David Fisher/Oxford Martin School

Mr. Steiner’s appointment as the new head of the UN’s lead development agency was confirmed by the UN General Assembly last April, following his nomination by Secretary-General, António Guterres.

The UNDP works in some 170 countries and territories across the world to help them eradicate extreme poverty, strengthen good governance, and prevent and respond to crises.

Steiner, former head of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), will also chair the UN Development Group, which unites the 32 UN funds, programmes, specialised agencies and other bodies that work to support sustainable development.

Speaking after the confirmation of his nomination, Steiner said he was honoured by the Secretary-General’s decision to appoint him as the next Administrator of UNDP, and grateful for the trust and confidence that Member States had expressed in the General Assembly.

“I very much look forward to working with all UNDP staff and UN Member States to continue the fight to end poverty, protect the planet, and promote peace and justice around the world,” he said.

Steiner brings more than three decades of leadership experience in global development issues and international cooperation. He has been described as a passionate advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals and the need for unprecedented global cooperation to deliver on the ambitious agenda.

UNIDO, others explore industrialisation, investment in Africa

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UNIDO, others explore industrialisation, investment in Africa

Parliamentarians, policymakers, public and private investors, and representatives of civil society have discussed investing in the industrialisation process of developing countries, particularly in Africa. The event, organised by the Brussels office of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), together with Global Africa and African Diaspora Network in Europe (ADNE), took place recently in St. Julian’s, Malta during the opening of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.

UNIDO
Dignitaries at the UNIDO forum in Malta

The event, which had as its theme, “Industrialisation and Investments in Africa”, was supported by the Maltese Presidency of the Council of the European Union and was sponsored by the Federal Foreign Office of the German Government.

The discussion took place in the context of new policies and instruments that will impact relations between the European Union and its developing partners, namely the new European Consensus on Development, the review of the Cotonou Agreement and the new European External Investment Plan.

It is described as an opportunity to discuss the best ways to organise the efforts of different partners to accelerate African industrialisation by promoting sustainable investments, increasing local processing of natural resources, improving the skills of youth and women, and supporting the integration of African enterprises into global value chains.

At the opening of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, the President of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, commended UNIDO for organising the side event, saying, “I believe there is a need to invest our efforts in developing innovative strategies, which touch the social, economic, political and environmental realities, experienced by each and every human being in the nations of Africa”.

At the opening of the side event, Christophe Yvetot, UNIDO Representative to the European Union and the ACP Secretariat, observed that “after the industrial miracle that helped East Asia decrease its poverty from one billion people in 1990 to less than 70 million today, a new consensus on Africa industrialisation is emerging after the adoption of Agenda 2030 and the Third Industrial Development Decade for Africa 2016-2025”.

In his keynote speech, Louis Michel, Member of the European Parliament and Co-president of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, congratulated UNIDO for organising the discussion which he said was “in line with the UN resolution of 25 July 2016 on the Third Industrial Development decade for Africa”.

He reminded participants that “with its technical assistance to African countries, UNIDO contributed directly, through industrial development, to economic growth and diversification and to the creation of added value, participating then to Africa’s prosperity”. He concluded stating that “an inclusive and sustainable industrialisation supported by a circular economy will be an asset not only for LDCs and developing countries but for the planet as a whole”.

Other speakers included Teshome Tome Chanaka, Ambassador of Ethiopia to the European Union; Georg Schmidt, representing the Government of Germany; Pim van Ballekom, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank; Chantal Uwitonze from the African Diaspora Network Europe (ADNE); and Cecile Kashetu Kyenge, Member of the European Parliament and Vice-Chair of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.

Confederation Cup: Cameroon, Russia, others crash out

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Confederation Cup: Cameroon, Russia, others crash out

African Champion, Cameroon, has crashed out of the current FIFA Confederation Cup in Russia, with a 1-3 loss to World Champion, Germany in the last Group A match.

confederation-cup-cameroon-chile
Chile’s midfielder Arturo Vidal (in white) scores a header against Cameroon

Timo Werner got a brace and Kerem Denirbay got the first, while Vincent Aboubakar got the consolation goal for the Cameroonians.

In the last match played simultaneously, Chile and Australia played out a 1-1 draw, but then the Chileans progressed to the next stage. Australia is out of the cup competition.

In Group B, host country Russia lost 1-2 to Mexico. The home team took the lead through Alexander Samedov in the 25th minute, but could not stop the fire power of the Mexicans.

Nestor Araujo and Hirving Lozeno got the two goals that gave Mexico the maximum points. The Russians were later reduced to 10 men in the game.

So, with that victory, Mexico is through to the last four. Mexico is also joined by Portugal, who thrashed New Zealand 4-0.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva, Andre Silva and Nani all got the goals.

For the Semi-final billed for Wednesday, June 28 2017, it will be Portugal against Chile, while Germany and Mexico will clash on Thursday, June 29.

In another boxing, Welterweight World Champion, Manny Pacquiao (38), has arrived in Brisbane, Australia ahead of a title defence against challenger, Jeff Horn (29).

The 11-time world champion and his American trainer Freddie Roach with a contingent totalling 160 were greeted by eager fans at the Brisbane International Airport, ahead of the “Battle of Brisbane”, a clash billed to be the highest profile boxing match ever held on Australian soil.

The bout will take place at the Suncorp Stadium on Sunday, July 2 with an expected 50,000 crowd.

Horn competed at the 2012 Olympic Games and has a record of 16-0-1, with 11 knockouts.
Pacquiao has a career record of 59-6-2, with 33 knockouts. The fight against Horn will be his first defense of the title he won last November with a unanimous decision over Jessie Vargas.

By Felix Simire

Yemen cholera outbreak worst in the world – WHO, UNICEF

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Yemen cholera outbreak worst in the world – WHO, UNICEF

The deadly cholera outbreak in Yemen is the direct consequence of two years of heavy conflict, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have said.

Cholera-Yemen
Cholera victims in Yemen

In a joint statement issued on Saturday, June 24, 2017, Anthony Lake, Executive Director of UNICEF and Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO stated that, due to the conflict,  collapsing health, water and sanitation systems have cut off 14.5 million people from regular access to clean water and sanitation, increasing the ability of the disease to spread.

According to them, rising rates of malnutrition have weakened children’s health and made them more vulnerable to disease, adding that an estimated 30,000 dedicated local health workers who play the largest role in ending this outbreak have not been paid their salaries for nearly 10 months.

“We urge all authorities inside the country to pay these salaries and, above all, we call on all parties to end this devastating conflict,” pleaded Lake and Chan.

They disclosed that the rapidly spreading cholera outbreak in Yemen has exceeded 200,000 suspected cases, increasing at an average of 5,000 a day.

“We are now facing the worst cholera outbreak in the world,” Lake and Chan warned.

They added: “In just two months, cholera has spread to almost every governorate of this war-torn country. Already, more than 1,300 people have died – one quarter of them children – and the death toll is expected to rise.

“UNICEF, WHO and our partners are racing to stop the acceleration of this deadly outbreak. We are working around the clock to detect and track the spread of disease and to reach people with clean water, adequate sanitation and medical treatment. Rapid response teams are going house-to-house to reach families with information about how to protect themselves by cleaning and storing drinking water.

“UNICEF and WHO are taking all measures to scale up prevention and treatment interventions. We call on authorities in Yemen to strengthen their internal efforts to stop the outbreak from spreading further.”

Nigeria takes lead, develops National Policy for Controlled Medicines

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Nigeria takes lead, develops National Policy for Controlled Medicines

Nigeria is stepping out as the first country in Africa to roll-out a novel National Policy for Controlled Medicines (NPCM).

Albertin
Country Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Nigeria, Ms. Cristina Albertin

Experts from diverse fields comprising pharmacists, anesthetists and surgeons, amongst others, gathered at a recent town hall meeting in Abuja to finalise a comprehensive policy framework to ensure availability of essential medicines, narcotics and painkillers for tertiary hospitals, primary health care centres, district and general hospitals; thereby keeping hope alive for patients with terminal cancer, those suffering from injuries caused by accident and violence, chronic illnesses and those recovering from surgery who undergo untold suffering due to lack of opioid analgesics which can easily control pain.

Such drugs which are usually recognised to have a number of medical uses, including as analgesics for the treatment of mild, moderate and/or severe pain includes, but not limited to buprenorphine, oxycodone, fentanyl, hydromorphone, methadone and morphine, to induce or supplement anaesthesia (fentanyl and fentanyl analogues such as alfentanil and remifentanil), as cough suppressants (codeine and some other substances), and for the treatment of opioid dependence syndrome (buprenorphine and methadone).

The comprehensive NPCM developed by Nigeria is the result of the cooperation between United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) under the framework of the Joint Global Programme on “Access to Controlled Drugs for Medical Purposes While Preventing Diversion and Abuse”. UNODC and WHO have complementary mandates, experience, competencies and networks.

Funding support was provided through collaboration and partnership with the European Union (EU) which had earlier supported the development of quantification guidelines for narcotic and psychotropic substance and the conduct of a survey on problematic drugs in Nigeria under the auspice of the “Response to Drugs and Related Organised Crime in Nigeria” project.

The ambitious policy shift is a response to the Global Access to Pain Relief Initiative (2012) which reported that Nigeria consumed only 0.1% of narcotic medicines required to manage pain in patients who died of HIV/AIDS and cancer in 2009.

The “Draft National Policy for Controlled Medicines and its Implementation Strategies” elaborates practical approaches to ensure availability of, and accessibility to controlled medicines and articulates a comprehensive policy framework that clearly describes the supply chain with quality assurance mechanisms. It also makes funding recommendations to ensure sustainability of the interventions to address medical needs of all patients in Nigeria as well as strategic plan of actions to implement the Policy.

The meeting brought together 74 stakeholders to review the draft policy developed by a 22-member group of experts from the government agencies, private sector and civil society who provided their expertise in developing the policy. The phase was essential in order to have a broader consultation of a broad range of stakeholders to provide them the opportunity to contribute their knowledge and expertise and to make sure the policy is representative.

UNODC Country Representative, Ms. Cristina Albertin, expressed delight in Nigeria’s effort to lead the world in the development of a national policy, saying that the policy fully aligns to what has been internationally recognised by the International Drug Control Machinery.

The Right to Health is among one of the Fundamental Human Rights as stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (article 25) and it is also one of the points expressed in the Sustainable Development Goals (Goal 3.8) focusing on increasing access to essential medicines. The development and implementation of this policy is therefore fully in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Palau, Slovenia, Viet Nam ratify Minamata Convention

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Palau, Slovenia, Viet Nam ratify Minamata Convention

The Governments of Palau, Thailand, Slovenia and Viet Nam have deposited their instruments of ratification, thereby becoming the 66th to 69th future Parties to the Minamata Convention.

Tommy Remengesau
Tommy Remengesau, President of Palau. Photo credit: EPA/JIM LO SCALZO

The depositions were made on Wednesday, June 21; Thursday, June 22; and Friday, June 23, 2017. While Palau deposited on Wednesday and Thailand on Thursday, both Slovenia and Viet Nam did likewise on Friday.

Previously, Iran and Estonia had ratified the Convention, which has already entered into force, thanks to the landmark rash of ratifications on Thursday, May 18, 2017 that triggered the entry into force of the mercury accord, having garnered the required 50 ratifications.

On that day, the EU and seven of its member States – Bulgaria, Denmark, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Romania and Sweden – deposited their instruments of ratification at the UN Headquarters in New York, bringing to 51 that day the number of future Parties.

As a result, on August 16 2017, the Convention, which aims at protecting human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds, will become legally binding for all its Parties.

To commemorate the historic development, United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), Ministry of the Environment of Japan, Kumamoto Prefecture and Minamata City will on Saturday, July 1, 2017 hold “Celebrating Event for the Minamata Convention on Mercury – Voice from Minamata towards the Entry into Force ” in Minamata City, Kumamoto, Japan.

The event includes the first part with the video letters from overseas and the declaration by the Junior High School students in Minamata City calling for the global attention. In the second part, H.E. Mr. Fernando Lugris, the Chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Mercury, will deliver a commemorative speech followed by the “Minamata Talk” lead by Mr. Hiroshi Nishida, Mayor of Minamata City, and other speakers.

The 1st Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention (COP1) will gather governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations from around the world in Geneva from September 24 to 29, 2017.

The Minamata Convention on Mercury (“Minamata Convention”) is a new international environmental convention for global community to work collaboratively against mercury pollution. The Minamata Convention aims at achieving environmentally sound mercury management throughout its life cycle. The Convention was adopted at the diplomatic conferences held in Minamata City and Kumamoto City in October 2013.

How GM crops impact environment – Study

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How GM crops impact environment – Study

A newly released peer-reviewed paper appears to have drawn attention to environmental challenges associated with genetically-modified (GM) crops, as well as the gaps in scientific knowledge of their effects.

GM bananas
GM banana. Photo credit: radioaustralia.net.au

GM crops are plants used in agriculture, the DNA of which has been modified using genetic engineering methods. In most cases, the aim is to introduce a new trait to the plant which does not occur naturally in the species.

Tagged “Environmental impacts of genetically modified plants: A review,” the scientific review made some vivid remarks on the environmental impacts and regulatory assessment of GM plants.

Reviewed by scientists Aristidis M. Tsatsakis, Muhammad Amjad Nawaz, Demetrios Kouretas, Georgios Balias, Kai Savolainen, Victor A. Tutelyan, Kirill S. Golokhvast, Jeong Dong Lee, Seung Hwan Yang and Gyuhwa Chung, the publication emphasises that GM crops negatively impact the environment such as modification in crop pervasiveness or invasiveness, the emergence of herbicide and insecticide tolerance, transgene stacking and disturbed biodiversity.

According to them, recent claims of consensus over the safety of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) seem to be an artificial and misguided perpetuated construct – regardless of contradictory evidences published during the last three decades which lead scientific community to reconsider that the debate on the topic isn’t over yet.

“Current regulatory pathological and toxicological tests are confined on only one mammal and for 90 days which is insufficient and could not be generalised. So, toxicology studies should be prolonged to full life span of the test organism and other experimental mammals should also be considered for such tests,” say the authors, adding:

“Safety studies involving GM plants produced as a result of ds-RNA mediated gene silencing should be conducted and after effects of administering GM foods having artificial siRNAs must be examined on a laboratory scale especially for their unintended effects on humans.

“Sub-lethal effects on nontarget species should be assessed for several successive generations rather than single or two generations.”

The reviewers stress that the current state of knowledge notwithstanding, impacts of GMO crops on the environment require a more in-depth view and critical research so as to unveil further facts.

They point out that most of the reviewed scientific resources provide similar conclusions and there currently seems to be an insufficient amount of data available and, up until today, the impression is that the consumption of GM plant products are safe for consumption to a greater extent with few exceptions.

The paper updated what the reviewers tag “the undesirable impacts of GM crops and their products” on target and non-target species, while attempting to shed light on the emerging challenges and threats associated with it.

While discussing future prospects, the underpinning research also realises the influence of GM crops on a disturbance in biodiversity, development of resistance and evolution slightly resembles with the effects of non-GM cultivation.

Espinosa, others to grace Africa Carbon Forum

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Espinosa, others to grace Africa Carbon Forum

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has announced that its executive secretary, Patricia Espinosa, will grace the 9th Africa Carbon Forum (ACF), which is scheduled to hold from Wednesday, June 28 to Friday, June 30, 2017 in Cotonou, Benin Republic.

Africa Carbon Forum
The Palais Des Congrès, along the Boulevard de la Marina, Cotonou, is venue of the event

The UN body, which made the disclosure in a tweet on Sunday, June 25, 2017, is one of the several organisers of the much publicised event. Others include: the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), African Development Bank (AfDB), World Bank Group, UNEP DTU Partnership (formerly UNEP Risø Centre), International Emissions Trading Association (IETA), and Africa LEDS Partnership (AfLP).

According to the organisers, the 2017 ACF will focus on how engagement between State and non‐State actors can be further strengthened in the key sectors for Africa (energy, agriculture and human settlements), including the role of future carbon markets to achieve enhanced climate action, towards the goals of sustainable development.

Themed: “Collaborative climate action for sustainable development in Africa”, the event will cover:

  • Practical examples of policies, initiatives and actions in Africa;
  • Barriers and enabling measures for engaging climate action in key sectors;
  • Financial instruments and regulatory frameworks;
  • Advancing the implementation of climate action.

The forum will provide an opportunity and platform for African policymakers and practitioners to:

  • discuss the latest developments related to climate change policy, carbon markets and finance;
  • share knowledge on innovative solutions in the context of nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and other strategies; and,
  • explore possibilities for collaboration on regional and global climate change initiatives.

Thunderstorms loom as NiMet releases predictions for Saturday, Sunday

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Thunderstorms loom as NiMet releases predictions for Saturday, Sunday

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted cloudy morning over the Central States on Saturday, June 24, 2017 with prospects of localised thunderstorms over Yola, Lafia, Abuja, Jos, Minna, Ilorin, Jalingo and Mambilla Plateau.

Rainfall-Lagos
Heavy rainfall in Lagos

NiMet’s Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office on Friday, June 23 in Abuja also predicted prospects of localised thunderstorms over Abuja, Jos, Lafia and its environs during the afternoon and evening hours.

It also predicted cloudy morning over the region on Sunday, June 25 with prospects of localised thunderstorms over Minna and Ilorin and chances of localised thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours.

NiMet added that the central region would have day and night temperatures 26 to 32 and 17 to 27 degrees Celsius respectively.

The agency said the South Eastern States would experience cloudy morning on Saturday with chances of localised thunderstorms over Owerri, Umuahia, Awka, Abakaliki and Abakiliki in the afternoon and evening hours.

It added that Sunday would witness cloudy morning with chances of localised thunderstorms over Umuahia, Enugu, Awka and its environs in the afternoon and evening hours.

According to NiMet, south eastern states will have day and night temperatures of 30 to 33 and 22 to 24 degrees Celsius respectively.

NiMet predicted: “South Western region is expected to be cloudy on Saturday morning with chances of localised thunderstorms over Akure, Ibadan, Ado-Ekiti, Abeokuta, Shaki and its environs in the afternoon and evening hours.

“Cloudy conditions are expected on Sunday morning with chances of localised thunderstorms over places like Akure, Ado-Ekiti, Ibadan, Oshogbo and its environs in the afternoon and evening hours.

“Day and Night temperature values are expected to be in the range of 28 to 32 and 20 to 25 degrees Celsius respectively.”

NiMet further predicted that South-South region would experience prospects of localised rains over Port Harcourt, Yenagoa, Benin, Calabar, Lagos and Warri Saturday and Sunday mornings.

It also predicted prospects localised thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening periods throughout the forecast period with day and night temperatures of 29 to 33 and 21 to 24 degrees Celsius respectively.

According to NiMet, Northern States will experience localised thunderstorm on Saturday morning with cloudy conditions and prospects of isolated thunderstorms over Sokoto, Yelwa, Dutse and Kano during the afternoon and evening hours.

It stated: “Cloudy conditions will characterise the sky on Sunday morning with chances of localised thunderstorms over Sokoto, Yelwa, Dutse, Kano and Gusau.

“Later in the day, the entire region is expected to remain cloudy with day and night temperatures of 30 to 34 and 20 to 26 degrees Celsius respectively.

“There are prospects of localised thunderstorms occurrence in most cities across the country especially in the afternoon and evening hours in the next 48 hours.”

Fresh ratifications as Minamata celebrates Convention’s entry into force

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Fresh ratifications as Minamata celebrates Convention’s entry into force

In the past couple of days, three countries ratified the Minamata Convention, even as indications emerged that the entry of the global treaty into force will be commemorated next week.

Minamata_city
The City of Minamata in Japan

On Thursday, June 22, 2017, Thailand became the latest nation to endorse the mercury accord when it deposited its instrument of ratification, thereby becoming the Convention’s 66th future Party.

Previously, Iran and Estonia had ratified the Convention, which has already entered into force, thanks to the landmark rash of ratifications on Thursday, May 18, 2017 that triggered the development, having garnered the required 50 ratifications.

On that day, the EU and seven of its member States – Bulgaria, Denmark, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Romania and Sweden – deposited their instruments of ratification at the UN Headquarters in New York, bringing to 51 that day the number of future Parties.

As a result, on August 16 2017, the Convention, which aims at protecting human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds, will become legally binding for all its Parties.

To commemorate the historic step, United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), Ministry of the Environment of Japan, Kumamoto Prefecture and Minamata City will on Saturday, July 1, 2017 hold “Celebrating Event for the Minamata Convention on Mercury – Voice from Minamata towards the Entry into Force ” in Minamata City, Kumamoto, Japan.

The event includes the first part with the video letters from overseas and the declaration by the Junior High School students in Minamata City calling for the global attention. In the second part, H.E. Mr. Fernando Lugris, the Chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Mercury, will deliver a commemorative speech followed by the “Minamata Talk” lead by Mr. Hiroshi Nishida, Mayor of Minamata City, and other speakers.

The 1st Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention (COP1) will gather governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations from around the world in Geneva from September 24 to 29, 2017.

The Minamata Convention on Mercury (“Minamata Convention”) is a new international environmental convention for global community to work collaboratively against mercury pollution. The Minamata Convention aims at achieving environmentally sound mercury management throughout its life cycle. The Convention was adopted at the diplomatic conferences held in Minamata City and Kumamoto City in October 2013.

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