Regional Civil Society Forum, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain

More than 35 representatives of the West Asian, and North African Civil Society, are gathering in Manama from 31st October 2006 to 1st Novemeber, to discuss the region’s input to the eighth Global Civil Society Forum (GCSF) to be held in February 2007 in Nairobi, Kenya, prior to the 24th session of the UNEP Governing Council / Global Ministerial Environment Forum (24th GC/GMEF), scheduled from 5 to 9 February 2007. Region Priorities:

• Water and the Environment- updated water policy and strategy of the United Nations Environment Programme with a focus on freshwater resources;
• War and the Environment – understanding environment, conflict, and cooperation
• Chemical management and the Strategic approach to International Chemical Management (SAICM) as a background paper intended to stimulate discussion and highlight chemicals management issues of concern to Governments;
• Gender and the Environment as a response to the mandate given to the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme to integrate further gender equality and environment activities into the programme of work of UNEP;
• Globalization, Ecosystems services and Human well being: discussions will cover the challenge of globalization, environmental risks and human well being, opportunities of globalization, environmental opportunities and policies issues.

The meeting will have a wide representation of Arab countries including: Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen, Qatar, UAE, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Palestine, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, and Morocco.

Daily Updates:
  Day One
  Day Two
  Final Statement