Mugabe leaves for Rio +20 summit

President Robert Mugabe, has left for Brazil to attend the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development.

President Robert Mugabe who will join other world leaders in Rio de Janeiro for the three-day summit beginning June 20.

He is being accompanied by the First Lady, Amai Grace Mugabe, Environment and Natural Resources Management Minister Francis Nhema and Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi as well as other senior government officials.

The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development is being held under two themes: “Green Economy In The Context of Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication” and “Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development”.

The summit comes 20 years after the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio where Agenda 21 was adopted as a blue print of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by United Nations organisations, governments and other groupings in every area in which humans directly affect the environment.

Rio+20 is a three-day summit that takes place June 20-22, and was organised by the United Nations to tackle environmental issues. Its name signifies it is being held in Rio de Janeiro 20 years after a similar "Earth Summit" in the same city.

The biggest UN conference in years, it is being billed as a major effort to improve mankind's relationship with the planet.

The summit will look at how to safeguard global economic growth without destroying the planet in the process. It also aims to ensure that any new environmental policies will go beyond international borders. Within these goals, there are key areas of discussion, including food security, water and energy and a focus on developing countries.

This year's convention will review progress made so far and agree new measures to reduce poverty while promoting the sustainable use of the environment.

At the summit, Africa will push for developed countries to honor previous commitments and pledges and help the continent achieve sustainable development especially in the area of funding for climate change adaptation and mitigation measures.

President Mugabe and his delegation was seen off at Harare International Airport by Vice President Joice Mujuru, cabinet ministers, service chiefs and other senior government officials.

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