EPA, UNEP sign cooperation agreement
KUWAIT: Kuwait Environment Public Authority (EPA) and United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) signed yesterday a memorandum of cooperation. The agreement addresses a number of environmental issues including climate change, desertification, sandstorms, chemicals and waste management. The memorandum aims to improve the environmental situation in the country through cooperation with relevant UN organizations, said EPA’s Director General and Chairman Sheikh Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Humoud AlSabah. In a speech he delivered after the signing ceremony, Sheikh Abdullah Al-Sabah noted that the memorandum includes holding intensive meetings that enhance technical and human capabilities, environmental awareness and management.
It also covers organizing courses, projects and joint activities to benefit from global experiences. The memorandum includes the establishment of a regional climate center and a support body for environmental work in Kuwait, which contributes positively to the development of environmental work, he added. The memorandum, which lasts for two years and can be renewed, will result in projects related to climate change, combating desertification, dealing with waste, increasing green cover and increasing environmental awareness in society, he affirmed. This cooperation will help to develop the work of the Commission in order to implement the Sustainable Development Goals, cooperate with the Supreme Council for Planning, and continue working with the UN, EPA Director noted.
In a similar speech, Director and Regional Representative of UNEP for West Asia Sami Dimassi, said that this memorandum is the first step to improve the environmental situation in Kuwait, and the EPA is keen and serious in dealing with various environmental issues. He pointed out that the meetings held in this regard will help to consult on the establishment of a specialized environmental center in the country. He stressed the importance of cooperation in light of the enormous environmental challenges faced by the region since the last decade, and this cooperation confirms the commitment of both parties to protect the environment. Dimassi praised Kuwait’s leading role in international forums through its commitment to more than 20 multilateral environmental agreements, noting that this memorandum will achieve the objectives set within the framework of the New Kuwait 2035 vision. —KUNA