PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday made a presentation to 500 African diplomats on the subject of `Diplomacy in the 21st Century: Challenges and Opportunities for a Sustainable World’.
The event which was held in the United Nations Building in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, was organised by the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
The event followed a meeting on climate change financing in Ethiopia on Tuesday.
President Jagdeo and other members of the United Nations High Level Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing are in Addis Ababa for a final round of talks aimed at identifying potential sources of funding for climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Following the meeting in Addis Ababa, the Advisory Finance Group is expected to complete its report by the end of October and present it to the 16th Conference of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Cancun, Mexico, by the end of next month.
The event with the African diplomatic community was also graced with the presence of Mr. Jean Ping, United Nations Under-Secretary General; the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa; and Chairperson of the African Union Commission. The Executive Director of United Nations Environmental Programme, Dr. Achim Steiner was also a participant.
Guyana has been fostering much closer diplomatic and economic relationships with African countries recently.
A six-member ministerial team from the Republic of the Congo wrapped up meetings in Guyana on Tuesday. The Republic of Congo is deeply interested in Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy and its diplomacy regarding REDD (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation).
Guyana has also been working closely with Gabon on climate change and economic development issues.
President Jagdeo held further talks with the Foreign Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia last evening.