Major Global Meeting On Environment To Be Held In The UAE

The organising committee of the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) 9th Special Session of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum 2006 and associated meetings met at the Police Officers Club to go over the final arrangements for the events to be held in Dubai, UAE from the 7th to 9th February 2006.

The event being organised under the Patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and the Ruler of Dubai is one of the most important events in the region where issues such as chemicals management, energy and tourism will form part of a broad spectrum of environmental issues discussed.

The Dubai meetings will be attended by representatives including ministers from the member states of the United Nations and its specialised agencies and all international and regional organisations working on environmental issues according to H.E. Dr. Hamad Al Midfaa, UAE Minister of Health and Chairman of the FEA Board.

Deputy Commander in Chief of Dubai Police, Jamal Mohammed Khalifa Al Marri, Dr. Habeeb Al Habar, regional representative of UNEP in West Asia, Saeed Mohamed Al Tayer, Director General, Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) and Dr. Mohamed Bin Fahad, Chairman Zayed Prize and Dr. Meshgaan Al Awaar from the Zayed Prize Committee were among those present at the meeting.

This is the first time a city in the Arab world is hosting a forum of such significance. The meetings are being organised under the joint auspices of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the Zayed International Prize for the Environment.

The ministerial-level discussions from February 7-9, 2006 will address energy and environment, tourism and environment, chemicals and environment, and environment governance including issues of relevance to the outcome of the 2005 World Summit of the United Nations.

The meetings will be attended by representatives including ministers from the member states of the UN and its specialized agencies and all international and regional organisations working on environmental issues.

Prior to the ministerial-level meeting, the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM), an associated meeting is scheduled to be held from February 4-6, 2006. The conference will discuss the serious issues related to the production, transport, storage, use and disposal of chemicals worldwide. It will also issue the "Dubai Declaration on the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM)" as a culmination of negotiations that took place during the ICCM and its preparatory meetings.

Another meeting scheduled during the week-long event is the 7th Global Civil Society Forum (GCSF), which will be held from February 5-6, 2006. The key policy issues to be considered during the Ministerial consultations of the Session/Forum include chemicals management, tourism and energy. These will also be the central subjects for the 7th GCSF and its associated preparatory regional meetings.

A special exhibition titled “The Environmentally Sound Technology Showcase” will run parallel to the UNEP meetings to highlight environmental-friendly technologies. The exhibition will focus on three themes; Elements, Connectivity and Life Cycle.

Several other activities such as youth meetings, seminars and exhibitions are also being planned to capitalize on the presence of so many ministers, policy makers and experts from all around the world.

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