Athens
, March 31st, Senior Officials’ Meeting
Within the framework of the Greek Chairmanship (2007-2008) of the Human Security Network, a meeting of HSN Senior Officials was held at the Foreign Ministry.
The human security of women, children, and people who need to flee their homes due to climate change have become the thematic priority of Greece’s Chairmanship. The meeting of HSN Senior Officials is of a preparatory nature, in view of the international event on human security and climate change to be carried out concurrently with the HSN Ministerial Meeting in Athens, on 29 and 30 May 2008.
At the opening of the proceedings of the Senior Officials’ meeting, Secretary General for International Economic Relations and Development Co-operation Mr. Theodoros Skylakakis stressed that climate change is a modern threat to human security. He also referred to the human security network’s role as the appropriate flexible tool to define and highlight emerging human security threats to the international community.
Then, representatives from HSN member-states had the opportunity to be briefed on the Greek Chairmanship’s actions and events held in New York, Bali, Geneva, and Vienna, in association with UNICEF, the United Nations University, the International Organisation for Migration, and the Austrian Foreign Ministry, correspondingly.
Moreover, policy draft texts have been presented on each of the vulnerable population groups incorporated in the thematic priority of the Greek Chairmanship, by representatives from four competent organisations. These texts will be presented in their final form at the world conference to be held in May, in order to contribute to the international community’s overall effort to address the multifaceted phenomenon of climate change.
· Presentation by Mrs. Irene Dankelmann, WEDO Vice-President
· Presentation by Dr. Koko Warner, UN University, Institute for the Environment and Human Security
· Presentation by Dr. Sallemul Huq, International Institute for Environment and Development, Director of the Climate Change Group
· Presentation by Mr. David Parker, UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre Director