A Royal Pleasure
No commentsThe Prince of Wales is interested in working with countries around the world, such as Liberia, which is seeking to make sure that its forest regions are wisely use for the benefit of its people, and the nation.
Anna Creed, who is working with ’The Prince Rainforest Project’, told members of the Liberian delegation attending the UNFCCC summit taking place in Poznan, Poland, during a meeting on Wednesday, that His Royal Highness Charles, the Prince of Wales, is interested in initiating dialogue with the Liberian forestry authorities on what can be done for the country to help it reap benefits from its natural forest regions. Ms. Creed is part of the Prince Rainforest Project delegation attending the Poznan summit.
Speaking shortly after the meeting, the head of the Liberian delegation at the ongoing Poznan summit, Mr. Ben Donnie, said the Prince of Wales is interested in working with countries around the world, such as Liberia, which is seeking to make sure that its forest regions are wisely use for the benefit of its people, and the nation. He said that as part of the aims and goals of the Prince Rainforest Project, the delegation was informed that the project would work with local community dwellers and seek their economic advancement. The project and local dwellers can work together in areas such as forest preservation, and put in place a proper and prudent management system that would ensure natural resources are used in the overall interests of a nation and its people.
“As a clear manifestation of the Prince’s desire to help us manage our forests, the Liberian delegation has been invited to Wales next year, to meet with the Prince and hold further discussions with the project officials on the way forward in helping Liberia manage its forests,” he said.
Liberia is one of the west African countries that have forests, which are very vulnerable to illegal trading in forest produce, and the indiscriminate cutting down of trees for timber. These illegal actions had become rampant during the course of the country’s 14-year civil war crisis, with money generated from trade landing in the pockets of the country’s political leaders, or a privileged few, to the detriment of ordinary citizens.
Earlier this year, in partnership with the international community, the government of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, elected democratically after the civil war ended in 2003, drafted and adopted a new forest regulation that seeks to control illegal forest-related trade and transactions.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) has approved funds of the amount of US $2 million for the construction of a mini hydro project that will help boost power supply to the country. The Director of the Energy and Climate division of UNIDO, who is in Poznan to attend the UNFCCC, made this disclosure today, when he met with the Liberian delegation attending the summit.
Mr. Pradeep Monga of UNIDO told the Liberian delegation that as part of UNIDO’s decision to approve the money, a delegation from the organisation would pay an official visit to Liberia next January, to meet with and hold further talks with the Liberian energy authority, on the way forward in implementing the mini hydro project.
At the same time, the Liberian delegation has told summit delegates to consider gender as a mainstream issue in the results that would come out of the summit.
The Liberian delegation said its decision comes against the backdrop that women and children are considered the most vulnerable groups in matters concerning climate change. Liberia’s position has so far received the backing of most nations and, notably, Sierra Leone.
