The 17th Meeting of the Asean Working Group on Nature Conservation and Biodiversity started yesterday at the Conference Room of the Empire Hotel and Country Club.
Representatives from ten Asean countries are participating in this year`s talk, which is being hosted by Brunei through the Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation under the Ministry of Development. Representatives from the Asean Secretariat and the Asean Centre for Biodiversity are also taking part.
The Brunei delegation is led by Hj Omar Hj Md Tahir, the Deputy Director of Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation under the Ministry of Development, and Hairani Awg Hj Ghani of the Environment, Parks and Recreation Department.
The meeting talked about a number of important and pertinent issues and agendas that have a significant impact on the regional challenges to protect and conserve the biodiversity and sustainability of our resources.
Among the topics discussed yesterday were matters arising from the 17th Meeting of the Asean Senior Officials on the Environment, 3rd Asean+3 Senior Officials Meeting on the Environment, 10th Asean Ministerial Meeting on the Environment, 5th Asean+3 Environment Ministers Meeting and 12th Asean Summit.
There were also discussions on the Asean Heritage Parks Programme, Asean Agreement on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Asean Centre for Biodiversity, as well as the Asean-ROK flagship project, "Restoration of Degraded Forest Ecosystem in Southeast Asian Tropical Regions Phase II".
The meeting also involved the drafting of the Asean Framework Agreement on access to fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilisation of biological and genetic resources.
The meeting continues today. The delegates will be working on the Asean Regional Action Plan on Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora 2005-2010.
There will also be discussions on the Asean Working Group Nature Conservation and Biodiversity`s key activities to implement the Vientiane Action Plan 2004-2010.
The 4th Meeting of the Asean Centre for Biodiversity Governing Board will be held from July 5 to July 6, while the 2nd Project Steering Committee Meeting of the Asean Centre for Biodiversity will be held on July 6 at the Empire Hotel and Country Club.
Source: www.brunei-online.com (9 Juli 2007)
