Cape Verde
1
STATEMENT DELIVERED BY MANUEL NEY CARDOSO,
COUNSELOR, PERMANENT MISSION OF CAPE VERDE TO THE
UN, DURING THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL PREPARATORY
MEETING OF THE SEVENTEENTH SESSION OF THE
COMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT:
DESERTIFICATION
(New York, 26 February 2009)
Thank you, Mme Chair
Cape Verde would like to associate itself with the statement made by Sudan
on behalf of the G77 and China.
I joint to previously speakers to thank the Secretary General for providing us
comprehensive reports on drought and desertification and to the panelists for
their presentations which will be helpful for our deliberations.
Mme Chair
Cape Verde is strongly affected by drought and desertification. Its climate is
characterized by a short rainy season, from July to October, with an irregular
precipitation poorly distributed in terms of time and space. About 20% of the
water from precipitation is lost through superficial draining, 13% infiltrates
while recharges the groundwater and, 67% evaporates.
With drought and desertification, the degradation of the soil?s quality is
further compounded. Only 10% of the immersed soil is potentially arable.
From this, 95% have been used for dry land agriculture and the remaining
5% by irrigated land.
The cyclical drought constitutes one of the major environmental challenges
that facing Cape Verde. Its multi-dimensional impact is further aggravated
or compounded by other multiple vulnerabilities facing the country which
often make it difficult for a preventive intervention and the much needed
funds.
In order to overcome these challenges, my government has been adopting
medium term policies aimed at, above all, create the necessary conditions to
face these problems without compromising the country?s sustainable
development.
2
The National Plan of Action for the Environment, adopted, which
incorporates the development guidelines assumed by the World Summit on
Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg, in 2002, constitutes the
strategic framework and guideline for intervention on the environmental
sector in general.
We wish to emphasize that, although the cyclical drought that the country is
facing and to combat desertification, the reforested areas did not stop
growing.
Anyway, with this Plan, the Government of Cape Verde seeks to create an
atmosphere that encourages economic sustainable growth and contributes
significatively towards poverty reduction.
Of course, we will continue to need help from our partners and external
investments to provide us with necessary funds to continue on the way to
materialize this Plan. That?s why we advocate that this meeting should put
on the ground concrete outcomes in order to permit us to face more
confidently the ongoing financial crisis and to permit us to find the way out
for the future.
Thank you
STATEMENT DELIVERED BY MANUEL NEY CARDOSO,
COUNSELOR, PERMANENT MISSION OF CAPE VERDE TO THE
UN, DURING THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL PREPARATORY
MEETING OF THE SEVENTEENTH SESSION OF THE
COMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT:
DESERTIFICATION
(New York, 26 February 2009)
Thank you, Mme Chair
Cape Verde would like to associate itself with the statement made by Sudan
on behalf of the G77 and China.
I joint to previously speakers to thank the Secretary General for providing us
comprehensive reports on drought and desertification and to the panelists for
their presentations which will be helpful for our deliberations.
Mme Chair
Cape Verde is strongly affected by drought and desertification. Its climate is
characterized by a short rainy season, from July to October, with an irregular
precipitation poorly distributed in terms of time and space. About 20% of the
water from precipitation is lost through superficial draining, 13% infiltrates
while recharges the groundwater and, 67% evaporates.
With drought and desertification, the degradation of the soil?s quality is
further compounded. Only 10% of the immersed soil is potentially arable.
From this, 95% have been used for dry land agriculture and the remaining
5% by irrigated land.
The cyclical drought constitutes one of the major environmental challenges
that facing Cape Verde. Its multi-dimensional impact is further aggravated
or compounded by other multiple vulnerabilities facing the country which
often make it difficult for a preventive intervention and the much needed
funds.
In order to overcome these challenges, my government has been adopting
medium term policies aimed at, above all, create the necessary conditions to
face these problems without compromising the country?s sustainable
development.
2
The National Plan of Action for the Environment, adopted, which
incorporates the development guidelines assumed by the World Summit on
Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg, in 2002, constitutes the
strategic framework and guideline for intervention on the environmental
sector in general.
We wish to emphasize that, although the cyclical drought that the country is
facing and to combat desertification, the reforested areas did not stop
growing.
Anyway, with this Plan, the Government of Cape Verde seeks to create an
atmosphere that encourages economic sustainable growth and contributes
significatively towards poverty reduction.
Of course, we will continue to need help from our partners and external
investments to provide us with necessary funds to continue on the way to
materialize this Plan. That?s why we advocate that this meeting should put
on the ground concrete outcomes in order to permit us to face more
confidently the ongoing financial crisis and to permit us to find the way out
for the future.
Thank you
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