Luanda, 23 November 2010 -- The preparatory meeting of experts for the Second Inter-Ministerial Conference on Health and Environment in Africa opened on Tuesday in Luanda, Angola, with government experts and ministerial advisers from across Africa in attendance.

The technical meeting, from 23 to 24 November, brings together over 300 participants, including senior government officials, experts on health and environment, academics, representatives of NGOs, IGOs, bilateral and multilateral organizations, among others.

The Ministerial session, scheduled for 25 and 26 November , is expected to review recommendations of the scientific conference based on deliberations during the two-day meeting, and the regional synthesis report on progress towards the implementation of the Libreville Declaration as well as Africa’s priorities and proposed arrangements for the Health and Environment Strategic Alliance (HESA).

Opening the meeting, Angola’s Vice Minister of Environment, Mr. Sianga Abilio, urged African countries to join forces in elaborating action plans which will consolidate real strategic alliance between health and environment in the continent.

He also stressed the need to maintain the political commitment to scale-up integrated national development plans with a view to addressing the environmental risks with harmful impact on human health.

In his remarks, WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, spoke of the disproportionate global distribution of the burden of disease attributable to avoidable environmental factors, noting that developing countries especially those in Africa, were the most hard hit.

The Regional Director stated that WHO and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) –both co-sponsors of the Luanda meeting – regarded the implementation of the Libreville Declaration as “one of their priorities” and pledged continued technical support of both agencies to countries.

Dr Sambo’s remarks were read by the Director of the Health Promotion Cluster at the WHO Regional Office for Africa, Dr Diosdado Nsue-Milang.

UNEP representative at the meeting, Mr. Pierre Quiblier, stated that while the environment in Africa continued to be degraded hence making more and more people vulnerable to environment related health risks, human-induced climate change threatened to further worsen environmental conditions and exacerbate vulnerabilities in the African region.

Of the meeting of the health and environment experts itself, he said: “In sharing their expertise, both health and environment technical officers have laid solid scientific and managerial basis on which policy action and investments can take place.

“From an environment perspective, this segment brings the irrefutable evidence of the vital role that our ecosystems play in ensuring better health and well-being for all people and on the benefits that can derive from investing appropriate human and financial resources in preserving their integrity”.

The conference is a follow up to the 2008 first African Inter-ministerial Conference on Health and Environment in Libreville, Gabon, which adopted the Libreville Declaration in which African countries committed themselves to undertaking 11 priority action points to address challenges relating to health and the environment.

For more information, please contact:

Jose Caetano, Health Information and Promotion Officer, WHO Country Office, Angola ; Tel : +244 926 546 698 or + 244 912 220 543 ; email: caetanoj [at] ao.afro.who.int

Angele Luh, UNEP Regional Information Officer, on Mobile: + 254 731 666 140; Angola: +244 937 148 568; E-mail: angele.luh [at] unep.org

Sam Ajibola, WHO-Regional Office for Africa, Tel (in Luanda) +244 935 555 326; Email: ajibolas [at] afro.who.int;

Flavienne Issembe, WHO-Regional Office for Africa, Tel (in Luanda) +244 935 555 326; Email: issembef [at] afro.who.int;

Joana Teixeira, WHO-Regional ffice for Africa, Tel (in Luanda) +244 935 555 326; Email: ajibolas [at] afro.who.int