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TUNIS, Oct 7 (KUNA) -- The Fourth Islamic Conference of Environment
Ministers urged Thursday for more concerted efforts by the Muslim nations to
curb the global warming and achieve sustainable development.
The gathering, held here under a joint initiative by the Islamic
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) and the Meteorology
and Environment Protection Administration (MEPA) of the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia, culminated in "the Tunis declaration on environment protection and
sustainable development."
The conferees agreed to establish the "Islamic Water Council," a
co-ordination mechanism operating within the framework of the Organization of
Islamic Conference (OIC), to enhance local programs for combating
desertification and protecting biodiversity.
They recommended scaling up the national efforts and the exchange of
experience in this domain among the Muslim nations and between these nations,
on one hand, and other countries of the world and international organizations,
on the other.
They asked the president of the conference to coordinate lobbying for the
"Declaration on Youth and Biodiversity" at the concerned international forums
notably at the 10th Conference of Parties to Convention on Biological
Diversity (COP-10), due in Nagoya city, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, between
October 18 and 29, 2010.
Tunisian President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali opened the gathering on Tuesday
with environment ministers and heads of the concerned agencies from the Arab
and Muslim nations attending.
Head of Kuwait's Environment Public Authority (EPA) Dr. Salah Mdhi led his
country's delegation to the three-day gathering. (end)
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