The UN Environment Programme and the Africa Network for Animal Welfare (ANAW) have renewed their partnership by the signing of the Cooperation Agreement for three (3) years on June 2, 2022. This agreement will take the successful cooperation of ANAW with UNEP and its governing bodies, in particular the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), to a new level, thus contributing to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It builds on a previous agreement signed on August 19, 2019 and aims at building the capacity of Major Groups and Stakeholders, including civil society in Africa.

Since 2017, the parties have collaborated in planning and implementing the Africa Animal Welfare Conference – Action 2017 and 2018 in Nairobi, Kenya, 2019 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2020 virtually, 2021 in Accra, Ghana and look forward to hosting the Africa Animal Welfare Conference – Action 2022 in Gaborone, Botswana providing also an opportunity for participating organizations to discuss their engagement with the United Nations Environment Assembly.

“We are happy to continue our successful collaboration with ANAW and we look forward to working together in implementing activities that benefit the environment in Africa and beyond. In this context it is the right approach that our cooperation goes beyond animal welfare, looking at crosscutting issues, and aiming to encourage meaningful engagement from NGOs across Africa in UNEP and UNEA related activities, ” said Alexander Juras, Chief of the Civil Society Unit, UN Environment Programme.

The renewed agreement will provide a framework for cooperation to guide the collaboration between UNEP and ANAW and it will further their shared goals on animal welfare, including wildlife, environment, and sustainable development.

ANAW appreciated the cooperation between the two parties and underlined that it helps to reach out to civil society partners in Africa that did not engage with UNEP or ANAW so far.

“The cooperation allows ANAW as one of the Major Groups and Stakeholders, with network partners and other civil society organizations, to partner with the UN Environment Programme. ANAW is committed to ensuring that the tenets agreed in the Cooperation Agreement are implemented for the betterment of animals, people, and the environment.” Josphat Ngonyo, ANAW’s Executive Director stated.

For more information, please contact:
UNEP - Isaiah Otieno
ANAW - Josiah Ojwang