Opening addresses: Monday 7^th May, 9am -11am, East African Time

Press Conference:  Monday 7^th May, 9.45am- 10am, East African Time

From 7-8th May, 2018, high level Government officials, senior UN representatives, international and Somali environment experts, and international donor partners, will for the first time convene in Mogadishu for a milestone Somali Government-led conference to stop the illegal trade, and unsustainable production and use of charcoal in Somalia.

The two-day conference is supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN Environment and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), with funding from the European Union, Sweden and Italy.

Export of charcoal from Somalia has been banned by a 2012 United Nations Security Council resolution and the Somali government due to its destructive effect on the environment, and its exacerbation of conflict and humanitarian crises. 8.2 million trees were cut down for charcoal in Somalia between 2011 and 2017, increasing land degradation and food insecurity. Illegal trade in charcoal acts as major source of funding for militias and terrorist groups such as Al Shabaab, who illegally tax exports.

The Somali Government-led event therefore aims to urgently build alliances amongst consumer countries and international and local experts and donors. It intends to rally support for concrete action, including partnerships with investors, to stop the illegal trade and to strengthen ongoing work in developing alternative livelihoods and alternative energy sources in Somalia.

What: International Conference on Charcoal - ‘Building Partnerships to Curb Unsustainable Charcoal Trade, Production and Use in Somalia’.
When: Monday 7th May, 8am-4pm, and Tuesday 8th May, 9am-4pm
Registration: Monday, 7th May, 8am - 9am
Opening Addresses: Monday 7th May, 9am - 9.45am
Press Conference: Monday 7th May, 9.45am - 10am. Please note there will be a brief time to approach speakers at the end of the press conference.
Where: Airport Road, Mogadishu
Who: H.E. Hassan Ali Khayre, Prime Minister of Somalia
Mr. Peter de Clercq, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General, Humanitarian Coordinator and United Nations Resident Coordinator for Somalia
Mr. Erik Solheim, Executive Director, UN Environment

To access the event please RSVP via email to: Keelin FitzGerald, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Somalia, email: keelin.fitzgerald@undp.org, Tel (Kenya): +254 714 923736 by Midnight (East African Time), Tuesday 1st May.