Pretoria – A convention that will, to a large extent, help combat pollution and ensure sound environmental management of coastal and marine resources, has been approved by Cabinet for tabling in Parliament.
Cabinet at its regular fortnightly meeting on Wednesday, approved the tabling of the accession to the Amended Nairobi Convention for the Protection, Management and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Western Indian Ocean, in Parliament.
The convention, which speaks to food security, health and potential for economic growth, provides a mechanism for regional cooperation, coordination and collaborative actions in the Eastern and Southern African regions.
“This will enable contracting parties to harness resources and expertise from a wide range of stakeholders and interest groups towards solving interlinked problems of the coastal and marine environment, including critical national and transboundary issues,” Cabinet said on Thursday in a statement.
Cabinet has also approved the South African negotiating mandate to serve as a basis for engagement at the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Convention (COPs), to be held from 24 April to 5 May 2017, in Geneva.
“The aim is to work towards environmentally sound management of chemicals and waste in order to embrace sustainability of human health and the environment,” Cabinet explained. – SAnews.gov.za
