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First Inter-ministerial Conference on
Health and Environment in Africa
26–29 August 2008 | Libreville, Gabon
Highlights for Thursday, 28 August 2008 |
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On Thursday afternoon, 28 August, government experts participating in the Technical Segment of the Inter-ministerial Conference on Health and Environment concluded their work and adopted their report. In the morning plenary, participants considered and amended the experts’ report circulated in plenary, and then considered the revised draft declaration. In his closing remarks, Chair Obame, expressed his pleasure at the spirit of sharing and friendship that had prevailed throughout the Technical Segment of the Inter-ministerial Conference.
On Thursday afternoon, 28 August 2008, the Ministerial Segment of the Conference convened at the Cité de la Démocratie. Angelique Ngoma, Minister of Health and Public Hygiene in Charge of the Family and Advancement of Women, Gabon, delivered a welcome statement, while Mounkaila Goumandakoye, Director, UNEP’s Regional Office for Africa, and Luis Gomes Sambo, Regional Director for Africa, WHO, delivered their opening remarks. Opening the ceremony, on behalf of Gabon’s President Omar Bongo Ondimba, Vice-President Didjob Divungi Di Ndinge, noted an awareness gap in Africa about environmental risks, but highlighted the existence of relevant national action plans and regional frameworks that were developed in response to urbanization and industrialization.
Following the opening, ministers adopted their agenda and organization of work, without amendment, and elected a women-only bureau with the following members: Chair Angelique Ngoma (Gabon); Vice-Chair Halima Alao (Nigeria); and two Rapporteurs Marie Lloyd (Seychelles) and Batilda Burian (Tanzania). In her welcoming remarks, Chair Ngoma noted that the bureau's composition signaled that women are at the helm of the environment and health agendas. Subsequently, France and Germany delivered their keynote addresses after which ministers considered the experts’ report submitted to them by Chair Obame.
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