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39
th
Annual Report
3.9 Consultative Meeting at Experts Level of Arab Regional
Preparation for Rio +20.
In response to the invitation by the General Secretariat of the League
of Arab States (Economical Sector – Environment, Housing and
Sustainable Development Department) OAPEC General Secretariat
participated in the Consultative Meeting at Experts Level of Arab
Regional Preparation for Rio+20, to be held at the Arab League’s
premises in Egypt during the period 17-18 April 2012.
Participants in the meeting were representative of Arab member
countries, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
(ESCWA), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), General
Secretariat of the League of Arab States – Environment, Housing and
Sustainable Development Department, civil society organizations,
World Health Organization (WHO), Organization of Arab Petroleum
Exporting Countries (OAPEC), Islamic Development Bank (IDB), and
Arab Atomic Energy Agency (AAEA).
The meeting was chaired by the representative of the Arab Republic
of Egypt, as his country chairs the present session of the Arab League.
Following adoption of the agenda, the Director of Environment, Housing
and Sustainable Development Department reviewed the paper of the
General Secretariat of Arab League, containing comments of the Arab
countries on the (zero) draft of the Ministerial Sustainable Development
Declaration on Rio+20 Conference, as well as the conclusive document
of Rio+20 Conference from ESCWA.
ESCWA presented a paper covering the progress of the preparatory
process for Rio+20 Conference, the negotiations on the zero draft of the
conclusive document, and the stances of the various countries andgroups.
The paper referred to certain side activities of Rio+20 Conference,
including the topics of interest to Arab countries, such as the change of
the economic system to apply the Green Economy concept, youth labor
in the emerging green business sectors, natural resources management,
realization of food security, conversion of agricultural sector into a
