VICE PRIME MINISTER OF NAMIBIA WELCOMES SEGOLENE ROYAL AND THE FRENCH DELEGATION

USPA NEWS - The Vice Prime Minister of Namibia, Ms. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwaha warmly welcomed Segolene Royal and the French delegation, whereas the facilitation efforts of the French Presidency of COP21 meets the critical issues of the moment.

Former environment minister who attended the conferences in Copenhagen, Cancun and Durban, Nandi-Ndaitwah Ms. Netumbo indeed follows closely the preparation of the COP 21. She clearly summarised the main messages of the Namibian authorities on the subject: - Like other developing countries, Namibia suffers the dramatic consequences of climate change become incontestable (eg, due to drought, this year's harvest in Namibia have not reached half that of 'last year) ; - Namibia has assumed the chairmanship of the COP 11 on Desertification to help alert the international community of this major challenge to world food security. It regrets that this aspect of international negotiations for the environment has passed the background. She therefore welcomed the proposal made yesterday by the President Ms Royal Geingob, the French Presidency is organising the sidelines of the COP21, a sequence dedicated to desertification and prepared by Namibia. - Namibia enthusiastically supports the French Presidency of COP 21 in order to reach a binding agreement and differential, whereby developed countries will commit to reduce their emissions but also to support poor countries in the development of an economy green, ensuring the necessary funding, facilitating technology transfer and training young people in these areas. - Namibia, which is seen to prefer North Korea to host the Green Fund, is doing a candidate to host the regional headquarters as soon as the fund becomes operational. The country, deprived of access to concessional loans due to its middle-income countries in the top tier ranking, wants the fund access mechanisms are disconnected from the classification of the World Bank. The Minister expressed his hope that the Paris conference is at the height of the situation and promised that Namibia would contribute to its success.----------------------Official Statement Segolene Royal