Accra, May 10, GNA – Ghana would take a strong position on three priority areas, namely Natural Capital Conservation, Natural Resource Efficiency and means of implementing Sustainable Development at the Rio+20 Conference slated for June 2012.

Ghana would convince the conference to back her demands for proactive measures to be adopted to conserve biodiversity and to reduce its losses, as well as how to harness clean and modern technology to enhance Sustainable Development.

Mr Rudolf Kuuzegh, Director of Finance and Administration, Ministry of Environment Science and Technology(MEST), disclosed this at the opening ceremony of an orientation programme organised in Accra on Thursday for Ghana’s delegates to the Rio+20 Conference to be held in Brazil.

He said Ghana’s delegation which includes a technical team, made of 18 technocrats, drawn from the various Ministries, Department and Agencies, would also lead the bloc of developing countries known as the Group of 77 to discuss issues on desertification, forestry and energy.

According to Mr Kuuzegh, the meeting would discuss Ghana’s success stories, new and emerging challenges such as climate change and the effects of the recent global economic meltdown that had militated against effective implementation of Agenda 21.

Agenda 21 is a comprehensive plan of action to be pursued globally, nationally and locally by organisations of the United Nations system, governments, and major groups in every area in which human impacts on the environment.

Agenda 21 was adopted by more than 178 governments at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janerio, Brazil, from June 3 to 14, 1992.

The full implementation of Agenda 21 and the programme for further implementation of the Agenda 21 were strongly reaffirmed at the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg, South Africa from August 26 to September 4, 2002.

The Rio+20 Conference, which is also the United Nations Conference of Heads of States on Sustainable Development, is to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development.

It would also be used to assess up-to-date progress and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development, and also address new and emerging challenges.

The Conference would focus on two themes, namely, a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication; and an institutional framework for sustainable development.

The ongoing orientation programme, which was sponsored by the United Nations with Government’s support, is being facilitated by the Institute of Diplomatic Practice and Development Policies (I-2DP).

The orientation programme, which aims at upgrading the knowledge of Ghana’s delegates to the conference, is part of a broader national effort to prepare for Rio+20 Conference, which is being spearheaded by the MEST.

It also seeks to enhance the coordination and knowledge of Ghana’s delegates to the Conference, especially on issues which are pertinent to Ghana’s own sustainable development agenda; emerging challenges and implementation strategies.

I-2DP aims to emphasise the need for a gradual but steady march towards sustainable self development and to progressively reduce dependence on foreign development assistance.

The Institute is led by its Director, Nana Bema Kumi, who is an accomplished diplomat with thirty-five years exposure to the international arena in political, economic as well as legal spheres.

It is also focused on training future generations of both African and non-African officials, especially diplomats.

GNA