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.

The United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Pretoria Director and National Information Officer were invited to the launch of the Democracy in Development Report, prepared by the Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) and the European Union Presidency Project (EUPP).

The report is the culmination of a series of studies and consultations involving key institutions including the African Union, Association of Southeastern Asian Naitions, the League of Arab States and the Organisation of American States and was commissioned by the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The launch was hosted by the Embassy of Sweden.

Ms. Ingrid Wetterqvist, the Director of the International IDEA, delivered a presentation on the salient points in the report. She was followed by Dr Patrick Molutsi, the Executive Director of the Botswana Tertiary Education Council. Dr Molutsi used his own country as an example of a successful democracy though he cautioned against complacency and apathy.

The report and other public information materials by IDEA were handed out after the formal presentations. The NIO made contact with the IDEA colleagues and offered to share information materials with them.

Henry Kiprono Kirwa of Kenya receives the UN Person of the award for his success in the Paralympics

Each year, the UN System in Kenya selects an individual or institution whose initiative has not attracted a great deal of publicity to them, but is involved in a sector where the UN system of organizations is also a player, who has succeeded in bringing to public notice significant issues related to the Millennium Development Goals, and whose achievements are sustainable and serve as an inspiration to all Kenyans.

The selection of the “UN in Kenya Person of the Year” is made after an extensive round of consultations and voting by all members of the UN Communications Group, whose decision is to be endorsement by the heads of UN Agencies.

This year's winner of the Person of the Year prize was Henry Kiprono Kirwa.  He is a Kenyan Paralympics champion in 10,000-, 5,000- and 1,500-metre running competitions.  He has been making efforts to fight poverty using sports despite his disability.

He was born virtually impaired in Kapsabet in the Rift Valley Province. In spite of this, he has demonstrated that disability is not inability and that through sports, youth can break away from poverty. Mr. Henry won three gold medals at the 2008 Paralympics held in Beijing, China, soon after the Olympics games.

His success is a result of hard work and perseverance, which have  helped him to become and endearing to the youth who are encouraged and many are already emulating him by working hard to succeed like him.

On 26 October 2009, the second ordinary session of the second legislature of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) took place at Gallagher Estate in Midrand, outside Johannesburg. In addition to members of the PAP, in attendance were members of South Africa’s government and diplomatic corps as well as local and international media.

Opening statements were issued by the representatives of the PAP from the Arab League, Senegal, Chad, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and South Africa. The majority of remarks addressed the challenges facing the continent, while emphasizing the need for African solidarity in light of the global economic crisis and other factors. The Zimbabwean speaker referred to the current challenges facing the country and elaborated on the SADC mission that was scheduled to arrive in Zimbabwe in a week. The Nigerian representative issued a strong statement against ‘constitution-tinkering’ in Guinea and Chad, and firmly reminded delegates of the dangers of military coups as well as Nigeria’s experience of this in the recent past.

The keynote address was then delivered by the President of South Africa, Mr Jacob Zuma, who spoke about South Africa’s ongoing commitment to the PAP. The address could be a veiled reference to concerns that the post-Thabo Mbeki government in Pretoria may lessen its involvement in the PAP which was seen as a major focus area of the Mbeki administration. President Zuma, while noting current challenges, also emphasized the strides made by the continent over the past few years.

The United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Pretoria Director, Marie-Evelyne Petus-Barry used this event to approach the country representatives and discuss new ways to support UN values and disseminate information as a way to promote the Millennium Development Goals, human rights, climate change and other UN and African priorities.