The 9th United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Ministerial Conference for the Environment for Europe, that will be held in Cyprus from 5 to 7 of October 2022 is probably the largest high level summit ever hosted in Cyprus, Minister of Education, Sports and Youth, Prodromos Prodromou, has said, speaking at a press conference ahead of the event, together with Minister of the Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Costas Kadis.
They both stressed the importance of the organisation of this summit for the first time in Cyprus and in the wider Mediterranean region.
The UN Ministerial Conference, which meets every five years, began 30 years ago and is being held a year later this year after being postponed to 2022 due to pandemic restrictions in 2021.
The event, which this year focuses on the Environment, is held with the cooperation of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). A total of 63 countries will attend with more than 70 high-ranking officials from international organisations from the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Asia and Europe. The registered participants have exceeded 1,000. In addition to the ministerial meetings that will take place during the summit, there will be 40 parallel meetings many of which will be held at the Cyprus Institute.
In his statements at the press conference, the Education Minister said that it is “indisputably a very important event for Cyprus, but also internationally, for the sustainability of the planet”.
He added that beginning of October Cyprus will be on the focus of the international community by hosting this summit which revolves around issues of sustainability and the environment.
The Environment Minister said that the main objectives of the Republic of Cyprus are on the one hand the successful organisation of such an important and far-reaching summit and on the other hand the drafting of important conclusions, which will contribute to the protection of the environment and strengthen our effort for sustainable development in Europe.
He also noted that it is the first time that the summit is organised in the Mediterranean area.
Kadis said that it is an honor that Cyprus was selected as the host of the 9th summit. Referring to the experience of his participation in the previous UNECE Summit, which took place in Georgia in 2016, he noted that “the declarations of that Summit were a point of reference for the countries of the UNECE when forming their own national policies”.
“We aspire to have an even more expanded representation and very important results,” he concluded.
Source: Cyprus News Agency