Morning session- HLPF “A transformative integrated agenda: how can governments, societies and the UN rise to the challenge?” | Department of Economic and Social Affairs

Background

Background

How to make institutions more responsive, societies more inclusive and UN fit to implement the post-2015 development agenda?

Biographies

Mr. Scott Vaughan

President and Chief Executive Officer, International Institute for Sustainable Development and Former Canadian Commissioner for the Environment and Sustainable Development

Mr. Scott Vaughan

President and Chief Executive Officer, International Institute for Sustainable Development and Former Canadian Commissioner for the Environment and Sustainable Development

Scott Vaughan is the International Institute for Sustainable Development President. He has been Canada’s federal Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Director of the Department of Sustainable Development of the Organization of American States (OAS), a Visiting Scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Head of Economics at the NAFTA Environment Commission and Counsellor at the World Trade Organization (WTO). Vaughan held various positions with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), including initiating the UNEP Finance Initiative.

H.E. Mr. Karmenu Vella

EU Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries

H.E. Mr. Karmenu Vella

EU Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries

Karmenu Vella is one of the longest serving Maltese Parliamentarian with the Malta Labour Party. Prior to serving as a Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, he was Minister for Public Works from 1981 to 1984 then Minister of industry from 1984 to 1987. More recently, he served as Minister for Tourism from 1996 to 1998 and again from 2013 to 2014.

H.E. Mr. Salifou Dembélé

Minister for Youth, Professional Training and Employment, Burkina Faso

H.E. Mr. Salifou Dembélé

Minister for Youth, Professional Training and Employment, Burkina Faso

Dr. Salifou Dembélé is the Minister for Youth, Professional Training and Employment in Burkina Faso and holds a PhD in tax law. He was an assistant director in the department of training and research in the legal and political sciences of the University of Ouagadougou. He was the secretary in charge of the electoral issues from 2006 to 2008.

Mr. Joseph Severe

Union des Amis Socio Culturels d'Action en Developpement (UNASCSD), Haiti

Mr. Joseph Severe

Union des Amis Socio Culturels d'Action en Developpement (UNASCSD), Haiti

Joseph Severe is currently the executive director of “Union des Amis Socio Culturels d’Action en Développement (UNASCAD)”, an organization that he founded in 1989. He worked for more than 20 years in the fight against AIDS and for the promotion of sex education, as well as the promotion of human rights. Moreover, he worked in the training of the teachers and community leaders with the WHO. Following the earthquake in Haiti in 2010, Joseph worked with UNEP on disaster risk management. Mr. Severe has also been nominated by UNISDR as a delegate in the 30th Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in SENDAI, Japan.

H.E. Ms. Lisel Alamilla

Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development, Belize

H.E. Ms. Lisel Alamilla

Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development, Belize

Lisel Alamilla has 18 years of experience working in development, conservation and advocacy. Her career has been moulded by her work with national and community-based development organizations. In 2012, she was appointed as Minister of Forestry, fisheries and Sustainable Development in Belize. Her main interest, based on her personal commitment to the cause, is promoting sustainable development. Ms Alamilla is the recipient of three prestigious awards: the Marsh Award for Conservation Leadership, the Whitley Fund for Nature Award, and the University of Idaho International Alumni Award.