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First Inter-ministerial Conference on
Health and Environment in Africa
26–29 August 2008 | Libreville, Gabon
Highlights for Friday, 29 August 2008 |
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On Friday morning, 29 August 2008, delegates reconvened in plenary to consider the draft declaration, and commented on the draft.
Many objected to a recommendation making the implementation of intersectoral health and environment programmes a pre-condition for allocating increased resources. It was suggested, instead, that there should be encouragement or remuneration for the allocation of increased resources to health and environment. On two paragraphs calling on WHO and UNEP for support and to monitor progress, there was agreement that WHO and UNEP establish a network for communicable and non-communicable diseases, and a number of countries suggested that the focus should be on national measures before calling for international assistance. Finally, Djibouti offered to host the second meeting of the Inter-ministerial Conference on Health and the Environment before the end of 2010.
Plenary resumed at 5:00 pm for a reading of the draft declaration, which was adopted by acclamation. In her closing remarks, Chair Ngoma praised participants for the important exchange relating to the environment and health. She said the Libreville Declaration represents a preparedness of Africa to address the effects on health of environmental factors, and called on all countries to assist in that “Herculean task.” Theresa Siricio Iro, Minister of Environment, Sudan, gave a vote of thanks, and Mounkaila Goumandakoye, Director, UNEP ROA, and Luis Gomes Sambo, WHO Regional Director for Africa, made closing remarks.
The Libreville Declaration was then signed by ministers from all African nations, or their representatives, and Georgette Koko, Deputy Prime Minister, Gabon, called the meeting to close at 6:58 pm.
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