Premier Zhu Meets UNEP, UN-Habitat Executive Directors

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, April 25, 2002

Premier Zhu Meets UNEP, UN-Habitat Executive Directors

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UNEP

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), established in 1972, works to encourage sustainable development through sound environmental practices everywhere. Its activities cover a wide range of issues, from atmosphere and terrestrial ecosystems, the promotion of environmental science and information, to an early warning and emergency response capacity to deal with environmental disasters and emergencies. http://www.unep.org

Visiting Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji met Wednesday with Klaus Toepfer, executive director of the U.N. Environment Program (UNEP) and Anna Tibaijuka, executive director of the U.N. Human Settlements Program (UN- Habitat).

Zhu said that China appreciates the important roles the two U.N. agencies have played in promoting the protection of global environment and the development of human settlements over the past years, which have pushed forward the causes of environmental protection and human settlements in developing countries.

The Chinese government has always attached great importance to environmental protection and has been working hard to improve the housing conditions for the people, an effort that has brought fruitful results, he said.

UN-Habitat

UN-HABITAT, formerly known as UNCHS (Habitat), was established in October 1978 as the lead agency within the United Nations system for coordinating activities in the field of human settlements. It is the focal point for the implementation of the Habitat Agenda �C the global plan of action adopted by the international community at the Habitat II Conference in Istanbul, Turkey, in June 1996. Its activities contribute to the overall objective of the United Nations system to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development within the context and the challenges of a rapidly urbanizing world. http://www.unhabitat.org

The U.N. and China have carried out good cooperation on environmental protection and human settlement work, said Zhu, adding that China hopes to enhance its cooperation with the U.N. on the control of sandstorms, that are affecting China and some other Asian countries.

Toepfer said that UNEP is delighted at the gradual reduction of carbon dioxide emissions in China, a fact that means China has well coordinated its economic development with its social development and environmental protection.

UNEP is playing an active role in world environment protection and its cooperation with China is also constantly enhanced, said Toepfer, adding that he hoped both sides will carry out more effective cooperation in the future.

Tibaijuka thanks the Chinese government for its support for UN- Habitat, saying that she also appreciates the assistance China has provided to developing countries in their efforts to cope with the challenges brought by urbanization.

She said that the UN-Habitat is carrying out many projects in cooperation with China, and that the U.N. agency hopes to maintain and strengthen its cooperation with China as the country has sped up its pace of urbanization.

The Chinese premier arrived here on Tuesday for a four-day official visit to Kenya.

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