U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change to Visit Marrakesh on Oct. 16-20 to Take Part in Pre-COP

Washington, 15/10/2016 (MAP), U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change Jonathan Pershing will travel October 16-20 to Marrakesh to participate in an informal ‘pre-COP’ meeting hosted by the Government of Morocco, said on Friday the US Department of State in a statement.

The pre-COP is the last preparatory session in advance of the 22nd Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), also known as COP-22, slated on Nov. 7-18 in Marrakesh, it said.

The Government of Morocco will serve as the Presidency and host of COP-22 in Marrakesh, the first such meeting since the historic adoption of the Paris Agreement by all nations at COP-21 in Paris, France, in December of last year, it added.

The statement recalled that, last week, the Paris Agreement officially surpassed the thresholds necessary for it to enter into force less than one year after it was adopted, sending a powerful signal to world markets that we are moving towards a low-emissions economy with unprecedented resolve.

The COP-22, dubbed the “COP of Implementation and Action” by the Government of Morocco, will highlight major climate successes achieved this year and showcase global action as nations turn toward implementation of the Paris Agreement. COP-22 will provide a forum for actors at all levels to come together, share what they are doing, learn from each other and continue to encourage each other to do more, it added.

Next week’s pre-COP meeting offers an opportunity for Special Envoy Pershing and his Ministerial counterparts to finalize preparations for COP-22 and continue to discuss implementation of the Paris Agreement and ongoing actions to advance global climate and clean energy efforts, it concluded.

HRH Princess Lalla Hasnaa Chairs Signing Ceremony of Agreement between Mohammed VI Foundation for Environment Protection and FAO

Rome, 14/10/2016 (MAP), HRH Princess Lalla Hasnaa chaired, on Friday at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the signing ceremony of an agreement between the Mohammed VI Foundation for Environment Protection and FAO.

The agreement was inked on the sidelines of the official ceremony to celebrate the World Food Day by FAO director general Jose Graziano da Silva and the Foundation’s president delegate Lahoucine Tijani, in the presence of the Moroccan delegation which took part in this ceremony and FAO high-ranking officials, including deputy director general Maria Helena Semedo.

Under the agreement, the two parties reaffirm their will to promote cooperation and foster collaboration on existing training and information programs, and in the field of designing and carrying out new programs and projects of shared interest.

The two parties are for developing educational and awareness-raising programs on balanced and sustainable diet as part of the Eco-School program by the Mohammed VI Foundation for Environment Protection.

The agreement concerns also the development of educational and awareness-raising programs on principles of sustainable development in the fields of agriculture, forests, fisheries, food security, sustainable management of natural resources and rural development.

The two parties also agree on taking part in events and working groups, and organizing joint events for information and training.

HRH Princess Lalla Hasnaa met earlier with da Silva on preparations under way in Morocco for the COP22 slated in November in Marrakech.

The meeting was attended by close collaborators of FAO director general and members of the Moroccan delegation taking part in the official ceremony to celebrate the World Food Day, in which HRH Princess Lalla Hasnaa was the guest of honor.

Before visiting the Mohammed V hall at FAO headquarters, accompanied by Da Silva, FAO deputy director general and members of the Moroccan delegation, Her Royal Highness signed the visitors’ book of the UN body.

The Moroccan delegation taking part in the ceremony includes Aziz Akhannouch, minister of agriculture and fisheries, Abdeladim Lhafi, high commissioner for waters, forests and fight against desertification, Aziz Mekouar, ambassador of COP22 multilateral negotiations, Hassan Abouyoub, HM the King’s ambassador to Italy, Lahoucine Tijani, president delegate of the Mohammed VI Foundation for Environment Protection and Nouzha Alaoui, secretary general of the Foundation.