3 October 2011: Christiana Figueres, UNFCCC Executive Secretary, and Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, have signed the Host Country Agreement for the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 17) to the UNFCCC and the seventh session of the Conference of the Parties serving the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP/MOP 7), which will take place in Durban, South Africa, from 28 November to 9 December 2011.

The Host Country Agreement covers all the logistical requirements for the COP and was signed in Panama City, Panama, on 3 October 2011. After the signing ceremony, Nkoana-Mashabane, who is also the COP 17/MOP 7 President-Designate, highlighted that the signing is a reflection of South Africa’s commitment to the success of the Conference. Figueres expressed her gratitude to the Minister and anticipation for the Conference. [UNFCCC Press Release]