Cairo, 3rd March 2015 - As a flagship of South-South Cooperation, the UNEP-China-Africa Cooperation Programme completed its second phase with a report launched during the 15th session of African Ministerial Conference on the Environment.
Many nations on the African continent are facing severe challenges from the escalating impacts of climate change. Sustainable development is being threatened, as well as efforts to eradicate poverty and improve human well-being to achieve the post-2015 development agenda and the proposed Sustainable Development Goals.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is working with nations like China, who are committed to working with the global South for an inclusive Green Economy. UNEP, in partnership with the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (MOST) initiated the UNEP-China-Africa Cooperation Programme in 2008, to enhance the capacity of African countries in addressing environmental challenges in the context of climate change, through technology transfer, demonstration projects, and capacity building programmes.
The Programme was jointly implemented through two phases: Phase I (2008-2011) involving four environmental demand driven projects, and Phase II (2011-2014) under the theme of "One Lake, One River and One Desert", entailing six subprojects, with 17 Chinese institutes and 16 participating African countries and organizations.
The report highlights key outcomes from the programme in the aspects of watershed management, rainwater harvesting, affordable drinking water, wastewater treatment, sustainable management of dryland agriculture, sustainable land management and combating desertification.
"China will continue to collaborate with UNEP and African countries, make science and technology play a bigger role in spurring economic and social development - make both China and Africa better and greener," said Mr. Wan Gang, the Minister of Science and Technology of China.
In May 2014, UNEP and China signed a new high-level agreement to harness their strengths, capacities and resources to further work with countries in the global South through broader South-South and Triangular Cooperation.
