Vice President Hilarion Etong stamps the "Seal the Deal" campaign banner
On behalf of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Yaounde participated at the Pan African Parliamentarians' Network on Climate Change (PAPNCC), for the Central African Sub-Region held in Yaounde at the National Assembly from 12 to 13 November 2009.
A two-day conference brought together parliamentarians from Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo (the Republic of), Central African Republic, Gabon, Chad, and Nigeria. A member of the PAPNCC Executive from Kenya was also in attendance. The theme of the Conference was “Securing an Adequate and Equitable Climate Agreement for the Congo Basin and Africa in Copenhagen”.
Hilarion Etong, the Senior Vice President of the Cameroon National Assembly chaired the opening session of the Conference, on behalf of the President of the National Assembly, Cavaye Yegue Djibril. He called on the parliamentarians to pursue the Central African / Congo Basin voice at Copenhagen, and ensure that the world adopts a fair and effective climate agreement for the safety of our planet.
Minister Hele Pierre stamps the "Seal the Deal" campaign banner
Several Speakers at the opening session including Awudu Mbaya Cyprian, Executive President of PAPNCC, Dr. Klaus Perter Treyote, Representative of Friedrich Ebert Foundation; Representative of PanAfrican Climate Justice Alliance and Bokwe Samuel of Network of Parliamentarians on Forest Conservation emphasized the need to “consolidate African Solidarity, to secure an adequate and equitable climate agreement for Africa in Copenhagen and to call for a Special Climate Fund for adaptation and mitigation for Africa and the Nairobi decision to have "One Africa: One Voice: One Position" at Copenhagen.
Cameroon’s Minister of Environment and Nature Protection, Hele Pierre gave a long background to the African vision and the meetings held by African Heads of State and Ministers of Environment and the Cameroon position taken for Copenhagen.
UNIC Yaounde’s National Information Officer, Anne Nsang presented the Secretary-General’s "Seal the Deal" campaign with the powerpoint presentation sent from UNEP in Nairobi. Ms. Nsang updated the parliamentarians on the Climate Summit held at UNHQ, New York in September and the UN Leadership Forum on Climate Change paraphrasing the UN Secretary General’s remarks at both events.
In addition, UNIC Yaounde mounted a Stamping Station for the signing of the Climate Petition, a follow-up to the June Conference. All the Central African Parliamentarians stamped the Deal led by the Senior Vice President of the National Assembly and the Minister of Environment and Nature Protection.