Afghanistan developing environmental protection with UN help

Afghanistan developing environmental protection with UN help
UNEP release
January 3, 2006

3 January 2006 — Laws aimed at protecting Afghanistan’s wildlife, waterways and forests, believed to be the first legal conservation tools in the country, have been developed by the Government with assistance from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the agency announced today.

“The Environment Act is the cornerstone for the development of an effective and integrated environmental management regime that secures environmentally sound sustainable development and use of natural resources, while still promoting economic and social well-being and development, Klaus Toepfer, UNEP’s Executive Director, said.

“If we are to help deliver a stable future for this country and for countries across the globe, the environment must be factored into rehabilitation and future planning,” he added. “For the environment is not a luxury but the basis for economic development and livelihoods.”

According to UNEP, over 80 per cent of Afghanistan’s population relies directly on the natural resource base to meet its daily needs, but two decades of conflict, exacerbated by a recent drought, have heavily damaged the country’s natural resource base.

World Heritage Sites in Afghanistan Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley (2003) The cultural landscape and archaeological remains of the Bamiyan Valley represent the artistic and religious developments which from the 1st to the 13th centuries characterized ancient Bakhtria, integrating various cultural influences into the Gandhara school of Buddhist art. The area contains numerous Buddhist monastic ensembles and sanctuaries, as well as fortified edifices from the Islamic period. The site is also testimony to the tragic destruction by the Taliban of the two standing Buddha statues, which shook the world in March 2001. Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam (2002) The 65m-tall Minaret of Jam is a graceful, soaring structure, dating back to the 12th century. Covered in elaborate brickwork with a blue tile inscription at the top, it is noteworthy for the quality of its architecture and decoration, which represent the culmination of an architectural and artistic tradition in this region. Its impact is heightened by its dramatic setting, a deep river valley between towering mountains in the heart of the Ghur province. -from UNESCO

The new Environmental Act, developed in partnership with the World Conservation Union and international experts, consists of the frameworks needed to manage Afghanistan’s natural resources in a sustainable way, and to rehabilitate its damaged environment. The Act also clarifies institutional responsibilities and contains compliance and enforcement provisions.

In other news from Afghanistan, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) announced today that 130 former officer and soldiers are graduating from the vocational training provided by the New Beginning Programme (ANBP) which aims to reintegrate ex-military into civilian life.

The graduation ceremony for the training, which is provided by the non-governmental organization (NGO) World Vision, will take place Wednesday in Kabul.

This is a modified news release from the UN.