Fwd: African Regional Update - 4 March 2014 - African Regional Coverage

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An update on regional sustainable development policy and practice recently posted to the African Regional Coverage knowledgebase Latest News - 4 March 2014 Africa Environment Day Focuses on Combating Desertification 3_March_2014: Organized under the theme of 'Combating Desertification in Africa: Enhancing Agricultural Productivity and Food Security,' the 12th Annual Africa Environment Day brought into focus the negative effects of land degradation on Africa's food security. continued...   Common African Position on Post-2015 Agenda Launched 3_March_2014: The African Union (AU) High Level Committee of Heads of State and Governments on the Post-2015 Development Agenda has launched the Common African Position (CAP) and adopted the N'Djamena Declaration on the CAP. The launch took place on 28 February 2014, in Ndjamena, Chad, following adoption of the CAP by the AU Heads of States and Government on 31 January 2014.  continued...   FAO NENA Conference Pledges Cooperation on Water, Food Waste 28_February 2014: The 32nd UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) regional conference for the Near East and North Africa (NENA) saw the adoption by country delegates of a regional strategy on food security and nutrition, expansion of the FAO regional Initiative on Water Scarcity. continued...   February 2014 Climate Finance Update 27_February 2014: During the month of February, the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the GEF and the Adaptation Fund announced funding for climate-related projects or published reports on climate finance. continued...   Adaptation Fund Finances Projects in Cuba, Seychelles and Uzbekistan 26_February 2014: Following contributions from Germany, Switzerland, Norway and the Brussels Region, the Adaptation Fund has approved financing for US$17 million worth of projects in Cuba, Seychelles and Uzbekistan, all of which will be implemented by the UN Development Programme (UNDP). continued...   CIFOR Discusses International Debate on African Cherry 26_February 2014: The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) has released an overview of Prunus africana (African cherry), detailing the threats facing the continued health of the species. continued...   INTERPOL Releases Report Addressing Law Enforcement on Ivory Trafficking and Poaching 25_February 2014: INTERPOL has released a report, titled 'Elephant Poaching and Ivory Trafficking in East Africa: Assessment for an effective law enforcement response,' which emphasizes the need for greater information sharing to enable more proactive and effective law enforcement against trafficking syndicates.  continued...   Launch Report of GSP in Eastern and Southern Africa Released February_2014: The Global Soil Partnership (GSP) has released a report from the 2013 launch of its Eastern and Southern African regional partnership. continued...   CCAFS Examines Impacts of Climate Variability on Agriculture 25_February 2014: In an effort to understand the impacts of annual fluctuations in rainfall and temperature and how they differ from the impacts expected from climate change, the Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) program has published a working paper that describes simulations of climate change on annual and decadal variability and long-term climate change. continued...   African Ministers Agree Wealth Accounting, Valuation Critical for Growth 24_February 2013: Participants at the African High-level Conference of Green Economy recognized the role of wealth accounting and the valuation of ecosystem services as critical to Africa's future growth. Ministers also discussed the role of new energy sources, job creation and wealth generation in driving Africa's future investment and innovation. continued...   World Bank Reveals Potential of Water and Sanitation Services for the World's Poor 21_February 2014: Public resources are insufficient to meet improved water supply and sanitation service needs, presenting an opportunity for domestic enterprises in these growing markets, according to ‘Tapping the Markets: Opportunities for Domestic Investments in Water and Sanitation for the Poor,' a publication by the World Bank's Water and Sanitation Program (WSP).  continued...   UNU Argues for a Holistic Approach to Vulnerability Measurement 20_February 2013: Assessing a community's adaptive capacities, coping strategies and vulnerability cannot be done by focusing on economic or past losses, according to the second edition of a book by the UN University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), titled 'Measuring Vulnerability to Natural Hazards: Towards Disaster Resilient Societies.'  continued...   World Bank Discusses Pro-Poor Water Delivery in Uganda February_2014: The World Bank's Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) released a report, titled ‘Do pro-poor policies increase water coverage? An analysis of service delivery in Kampala's informal settlements,' which highlights the gains and challenges of Uganda's National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) pro-poor service delivery, discusses factors that contribute to successful service delivery outcomes, and formulates recommendations. continued...   FAO Releases Catalogue of Indian Ocean Deep-Sea Sharks February_2014: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has released a catalogue of deep-sea sharks of the Indian Ocean, with accounts from all orders, families and genera found in the region. continued...   UNITAR, SAICM Train DRC Stakeholders on the GHS 23_January 2014: The UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), with financial support from the Secretariat of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) Quick Start Programme (QSP) Trust Fund, has trained 30 participants from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS).  continued...   African Regional Coverage Calendar: Current & Upcoming Events Youth and Innovation in Africa E-Discussion virtual 20 Feb - 12 Mar Ninth Session of the Open Working Group on SDGs New York City, US 3 Mar - 5 Mar Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP 2-4) Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany 10 Mar - 14 Mar 2014 World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty Washington D.C., US 24 Mar - 27 Mar Africa Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition Durban, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa 27 Mar - 29 Mar 7th Joint Ministerial Conference on Industrialization for Sustainable and Inclusive Development in Africa Abuja, Nigeria 27 Mar - 1 Apr Tenth Session of the Open Working Group on SDGs New York City, US 31 Mar - 4 Apr WIPO IGC 27 Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland 1 Apr Green Growth Knowledge Platform Regional Practitioners' Workshop Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1 Apr - 3 Apr Third International Conference on the Use of Space Technology for Water Management Rabat, Rabat-Sale, Morocco 1 Apr - 4 Apr 47th Session of the Commission on Population and Development New York City, US 7 Apr - 11 Apr ECOSOC Partnership Forum New York City, US 9 Apr - 10 Apr Towards a CMS Programme of Work on Climate Change Costa Rica 9 Apr - 11 Apr ECOSOC Global Dialogue on Financing for Development New York City, US 14 Apr - 15 Apr First High-Level Meeting of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico 15 Apr - 16 Apr    Subscribe to our iCalendar and your computer will gain access to all the events listed in our African Regional Coverage Calendar ( Learn More | Subscribe ) Please send suggestions for articles to Alice Bisiaux, LL.M at alice@iisd.org Generous funding has been provided by Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

The Reporting Services division of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), with funding from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), manages the African Regional Coverage (ARC) project, which aims to deliver news and information on environment and sustainable development negotiations and policy making in Africa. Launched in 2006, the ARC initiative works to improve the transparency of the region's policy discussions on sustainable development and to raise their profile at the international level. Click here for further information on African Regional Coverage

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