The Partners of the Nairobi Framework organized a side event on Way Forward - Facing New Challenges that showcased the activities implemented by the Partners in 2010 and their planned initiatives for 2011. The event took place at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP 16), Cancun, Mexico on 1 December 2010 and was attended by about 50 persons. 

During the side event, UNITAR’s presentation on Promoting CDM in Developing Countries informed participants that UNITAR joined the Nairobi Framework in 2009 to lend its comparative advantage in the area of capacity development towards enhancing the technical capacity of CDM (Clean Development Mechanism) project developers in Africa.  To this end, in 2010, UNITAR  collaborated with the other Nairobi Framework Partners to organize the second Africa Carbon Forum that was held in Nairobi, Kenya in March 2010. The Forum was attended by up to 1000 participants including project developers, buyers, designated national authorities and others all considered to be main players.

Furthermore, UNITAR undertook an analysis to identify how to best contribute and add value in its capacity building efforts. To respond to the increased request by project developers in Africa for training and capacity building on the CDM project cycle, UNITAR expressed its intention to develop training courses for project developers and other professionals involved in the CDM cycle in 2011. These training courses would be developed in collaboration with the Partners of the Nairobi Framework.

The Nairobi Framework was launched in 2006 by then-Secretary- General Kofi Annan. It aims at helping developing countries, especially those in sub-Saharan Africa, to improve their level of participation in the CDM.  The Partners  of the Nairobi Framework include: UNITAR, the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP),  The World Bank (WB),  The African Development Bank (AFDB),  the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change  (UNFCCC).

For more information about COP 16, Mexico 2010, see http://cc2010.mx/en/ or http://unfccc.int/meetings/cop_16/items/5571.php. 

For further information about the side event and UNITAR’s work under the Nairobi Framework, please contact Ms Sharon Oseku at sharon.oseku<at>unitar.org(please replace< at >with @.