Press Release

Roundtable on environmental issues in the Arab region receives Fund support

28/2006 March 28, 2006, Vienna, Austria
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The OPEC Fund for International Development has approved a grant of US$40,000 to sponsor a roundtable organized by Al-Bia Wal-Tanmia, (Environment and Development), a leading scientific environmental news magazine in the Middle East. Under the theme Public Opinion and the Environment, the meeting will discuss results of a comprehensive survey that attracted over 16,800 respondents from 18 Arab countries.

Environment and Development Magazine, in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Program, Regional Office for West Asia, and the League of Arab States, Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for the Environment (CAMRE), will be holding the roundtable in Beirut, Lebanon on June 16-17, 2006.

Around 100 international and Arab participants, including experts, representatives of CAMRE, specialized scientists, national environmental agencies and development organizations as well as members of the media are expected to attend the event.

As a result of the roundtable, analytical reports will be prepared by a group of experts in order to provide governments and international agencies with accurate data about the public’s perception of environmental needs and priorities in the Arab region. It is anticipated that enhanced awareness of these concerns will help open up a meaningful debate to reconcile these priorities with national and international programs.