19 September 2014
Samoa, UNDP Sign Agreement on Implementing Rio Conventions
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The Government of Samoa and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) signed a project agreement on ‘Capacity for Implementing Rio Conventions in Samoa.' The project aims to accelerate Samoa's efforts to meet its international obligations on biodiversity, climate change and desertification.

samoa-unep17 September 2014: The Government of Samoa and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) signed a project agreement on ‘Capacity for Implementing Rio Conventions in Samoa.’ The project aims to accelerate Samoa’s efforts to meet its international obligations on biodiversity, climate change and desertification.

The three Rio Conventions are the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Through the project, Samoa will engage government, communities, the private sector and others as partners. It will enhance stakeholders’ capacity to mainstream these Conventions into Samoa’s national development plans as well as develop and strengthen legislative and regulatory instruments to address them.

Noumea Simi, Ministry of Finance, Samoa, indicated that the project would raise public awareness, build partnerships and amend current environmental legal instruments. “Increasing public awareness regarding these conventions is a key priority for the Government of Samoa,” explained Anne Rasmussen, Samoa’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE), which serves as the project’s implementing partner. Lizbeth Cullity, UNDP Resident Representative to Samoa, said the project will be an important step in improving understanding, use and enforcement of Samoa’s obligations under the Rio conventions.

The signing of the project follows the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), hosted by Samoa, which discussed biodiversity and climate change, among other topics.

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is funding the project with support from UNDP and the Government of Samoa. [UNDP Press Release]


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