Malaysian, African Officials Meet On Common Position For Environmental Body

PUTRAJAYA (Malaysia), April 3 (Bernama) -- Talks between Malaysian and African officials were held Tuesday, on a unified position ahead of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro in June. The Congo delegation, led by Sustainable Development, Forest Economy and Environment Minister Henri Djombo, which arrived here Monday, had a meeting the Malaysian prime minister's Science Advisor, Dr Zakri Abdul Hamid, who is also Joint Chairman of the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (Might). Djombo was accompanied by Minister at the Presidency, Special Economic Zones of the Republic of Congo, Alain Akouala, and Guyana's former president Bharrat Jagdeo. Talks at the Prime Minister's Office here dealt with presenting a common position in June, for overhauling environmental governance systems to better drive reforms needed to address the challenges of environmental sustainability. Environmental issues are currently governed by more than 40 United Nations (UN) agencies, in addition to the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). The international community has adopted hundreds of multilateral environmental agreements, all with their own secretariats and administrations. Zakri said the system had become incredibly complicated and virtually impossible for developing countries to participate meaningfully. "Most global organisations which operate today are designed and negotiated by the developed world, while developing countries stood watching on the sidelines. While rich countries can cope, poor nations are being disenfranchised," he said in a statement here Tuesday. Meanwhile, Djombo who echoed Zakri's message, said re-designing a new environmental governance system was an opportunity to change it. "Any new global environmental organisation must have a development focus and be better aimed at responding to the needs of developing countries," he said. -- BERNAMA