Page 46, TH ISDAY, Vol. 16, No. 5876 . Thursday, lYlayZ6i .~0l1 • ._ .. \ t f . ~ :~, " " _

tl Busines~Wc;)Rl.Jr). ~I. developme~t Biodiversity Day: UN Highlights Social, Economic Benefits of Forests

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Ban !G­moon, has expressed conoem over alarming deforestation and the degradation of woodlands around the world.

He also urged States to implement the recently agreed international treaty on sharing the benefits of the Earth's genetic resources, including forests and the natural valuables found in them, according to a release by the global body.

"Despite our growing undeffitanding and apprecia­tion of just how much we reap from forests, they are still disappearing at an alarming mte;' said Mr. Ban in a message to mark the International Day for Biological Diveffiity, which falls on 22 May each year.

Last October, the 193 Parties to the Convention on Biological Diveffiity (CBD) adopted the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising fium Their· Utilisation, a landmark treaty that links conservation and sustainable use of biological diveffiity with devel­opment.

"Forests contain a vast - and barely catalogued -store ofbiodiveffiity. The early mtification and imple­mentation of this protocol can support forest protection and tlle sustainable use of biodiveffiity. lbis, in turn, can contribute to poverty alleviation and sustainable national development;' said Mr. Ban.

He drew attention to the fact that this years obser­vance of the International Day for Biodiver.;ity coin­cides with the International Year of Forests, declared by the General Assembly to educate the global com­munity about the value of forests and the extreme social, economic and environmental costs of losing them.

'The benefits of forests are far-reaching. Forests catch and store water, stabilize soils, harbour biodiver­sity and make an important contribution to regulating climate arid the greenhouse gases that are causing cli­mate change. This years International Day for Biological Diveffiity is devoted to highlighting the need for u1gent action:'

By Abimbola Akosile

He noted with appreciation that awareness is growing that stemming deforestation and forest degrndation can contribute to reducing the threat of climate cbange, biodiveffiity loss and land degrndation.

The United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for Biodiveffiity, acclaimed actor and conserva­tionist Edward Norton, for his part, warned that humanity is wreaking havoc with Earth's capac­ity to su"tain life through desouctive explqitation of natural resources and decimation of the plan­e~s biodiveffiity.

"We are disrupting the natural systems of our planet in ways tlmt will cause havoc for our way of life;' Mr. Norton told UN News Centre in an inteJview.

'The UN is providing a forum for countries big and small to work together on how we can put into policy issues like environmental sustain­ability, protection of biodiveffiity, protection of forests, combating desertification;' he said . .

The Secretary-General pointed out that gov­ernments will next year reconvene in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil , for UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Ri<>+20) and called for a recommitment to the management, conser­vation and sustainable development of all types offorests.

Twenty-two States have signed tl,e Nagoya Protocol, which will enter into force 90 days after ratification by 50 Parties to the CBD. More States expected to sign the protocol at UN Headquarteffi in September on the sidelines of the 66th session of the General Assembly, according to the secretariat of the convention.

The protocol envisages the setting up of "" . international regime on access and benefit shar­ing of genetic resoun:es, which,will iay <loWn the

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basic ground rules on bow nations coopemte in obtaining genetic resoun:es.

lion hectares - by over three per oent in 2020, eight per cent by 2030 and over 20 per oent by 2050;' said Mr. Steiner. It" outline how benefits - for example, from when

a plant's genetics are turned into a commercial prod­uct, such as medicine - will be shared· with countries and communities which conserved and managed that reso~. in some cases for millemtia.

In her message, the current President of UNEP's Governing Council and Spain's Minister of Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs, Rosa Aguilar, said conservation and the sustainable use of biodiveffiity is a key compo­nent for sustainable development and tlle green economy.

The Executive Director of the UN Environment Progrnmme (UNEP),Achim Steiner, cited one of the agency's reports that analyses the contribution that $15 billion a year -.: or 0.03 per oent of global gross domestic product (GOp) - can make to greening the forest sector, including triggering greater investments in reducing emissions of greenhouse gases from deforestation and forest degrndation.

"Conservation and the sustainable use ofbio­logical diver.;ity are, nevertheless, a challenge for ' society as a whole, and require the support, col­labomtion and the involvement of all social and economic actors.

"Over the period 2011 to 2050, investmentof$15 billion annually would raise the value added in the foresny indusny by more than 20 per cent, relative to business as usual. A transition to a Green Economy could increase forested land - currently close to 4 bil-

"Each and every one of us, at an individual and coUective level, can and have the duty to contribute to this common PUIpOSC, which will translate into the weU-being of our society and of future generations;' said Ms. Aguilar.

Minister Urges WOlTIen to Lobby for Appointments

The Minister of Women Affairs, Iyom Josephine Anenih, has called on Nigerian women to lobby

for appointment in various posi­tions in the next administration of President GoodJuck Jonathan, as that would be the only way they can contribute to national devel­opment and to the development of women folk.

She noted that the men folk are already busy lobbying to serve in the next administration. adding that women have proven that they have the same capabili­ties as the men in Nigeria.

Anenih , speaking in the keynote address delivered at the 'Women in Management and Leadeffihip Summit held in Ahuja recently, also assui-ed that the Federal Government would deliver on its promise to appoint more women into key positions in Nigeria.

"We all saw images of influ­ential Nigerian men swarming to Ohudu to lobby for positions. If you have the skill to make Nigeria the largest economy in the world in 2 year.; and yourCV does not get to the President's desk, then you would not get the job. This is how the men get ahead;' she said.

From Damilola Oyedele in Ahuja

In her address titled 'What the Nigerian Female Leader can bring to Bear in Governance' , the Minister said women have been discournged from seeking political offioe by discriminato­ry attitudes and prnctices, fami­ly and child care responsibilities and the high cost of seeking and holding public office.

She also lamented that women are stereotyped nega­tively by the media, which she said reinfon:es the tendency for political decision making to remain in the domain of men.

"We are barely days from the beginning of a new administra­tion. If you want to be a part of it, if you believe you have some­thing to offer, please stand up to be counted. Lobby, call every- , one you know, call people you don't know;' she said.

UNIDO Partners Ekiti ­for Industrial Devl

From Toba Sllleiman ill Ado-Ekiti

The Government of Ekiti State, Nigeria and tlle United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) are set to col­laborate on a wide tange of developmental progrnmmes aimed at stimulating accelemted industrial growth in the state.

This development is the outcome of a recent visit to the Director-Genetal of UNIDO, Dr. Kandeh Yumkella by the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, at the headquarteffi of UNIDO in Vienna, Austria.

Receiving the Ekiti State delegation , Dr. Yumkella commended the administration for its strides in governance so far, and noted great similarities between the 8-point agenda of the Government of Ekiti State, Nigeria and UNIDO's National ·Development Priorities.

Dr. YumkeUa further pledged UNIDO's technical assistance and funding support to the Government of Ekiti State with the facilita­tion of the proposed Ekiti State Industrial Development Fund .

UNIDO would also render technical support and advice on tech­no--economic development options for strengthening the agro­industrial sector, and fostering the equitable integmtion of small­scale agro-enterprises into market-oriented systems, with special emphasis given to technical feasibility studies, assessments of potential economic and environmental impact, international pro­curement and organisational linkages.

Other areas of support would include capacity building at insti­tutional and indusny levels as a key means of enhancing industrial productivity and marketing performance, willl a view to strength­ening technical support institutions and professional associatioris, as weU as to the creation of design and technology centres and demonstration units for baSic and advanced technologies.

The'medium to long term intervention shall also render support to traditional agro-industries to improve their productivity and effi­ciency, increase their integrntion into global value chains and pro­mote rural livelihood cliveffiity.

This shall be achieved through skill upgrading, working methodologies and guidelines, process optimisation, the diffusion of appropriate agro-engineering systems, product innovation and diveffiification, and participation in trade fairs and trade missions, Investment and Technology Promotion.

In demonstration of UNIDO's commitment, an Assessment mission to Ekiti State, Nigeria has been scheduled to establish a programme framework. lbis would cover Agro-allied develop­ment, ICT and youth empowerment, employment genemtion, and women entrepreneur.;hip programmes.

Commenting on this development, Governor Fayemi thanked Dr. YumkeUa inamensely for his mpid transformation of UNIDO and for his keen interest in reducing poverty through industrial development on the continent.

Dr. Fayemi used the forum to inform the UNIDO team of Ille renewed interest in Ekiti State by UKAID, World Bank and the European Union among other development partnern,

The governor attributed the recent support being attracted to the state, to the restoration of genuine democracy in the state and the confidence reposed in bis government locally and externally