Bamako, Mali. On 14th June the UNDP-UNEP Poverty-Environment Initiative (PEI) organized a seminar on the integration of poverty-environment objectives into development planning in collaboration with the University of Science and Technology in Bamako (USTTB). The seminar provided an opportunity for policymakers and academia to come together and explore how science and technology can help inform policymaking processes to better take into account aspects of inclusive environmental sustainability.

The seminar was opened by Ms. Kadija Niare Sylla from the Ministry of Environment, Sanitation and Sustainable Development. Ms. Niare highlighted that in Mali environmental sustainability “is a determining factor of the success in the fight against poverty and for achieving sustainable development…Our economy is [further] heavily dependent on the export of natural resources, such as agricultural commodities, raw materials and ecotourism services. If well managed, these [environmental] assets, which rely on biodiversity, can produce significant economic benefits and contribute to the eradication of poverty.”

Academia can play an important role in terms of providing decision makers with evidence on the economic and social benefits of sustainable environmental management that will inspire action. The vice principle of USTTB, Mr Ouaténi Diallo, emphasized that science and technology must inform poverty and environmental policymaking. To strengthen this, the University will work towards introducing modules on the poverty-environment nexus in the university curricula. In this context, PEI Mali can play an important role of bringing available science to the decision makers and to this effect the project will work to strengthen its collaboration with USTTB.

To raise further awareness on the 2016World Environment Day theme, illegal wildlife trade, PEI Mali issued an information note which can be downloaded in French below.

In the same fashion, an information note was issued on the World Day to Combat Desertification, 17th June, highlighting the importance of inclusive cooperation to restore and rehabilitate degraded lands. The information note can be downloaded in French below.