UNEA 6 Concludes with 2 Decisions and 15 Resolutions

Kenya’s capital city Nairobi hosted to the sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6), which took place from 26th February to 1st March 2024 at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters. UNEA is the world’s highest level decision making body for matters to do with the environment and brings together all of the United Nation’s 193 member states. Part of its mandate is to set the global environmental agenda, provide defining policy responses to address emerging environmental challenges and foster partnerships for achieving environmental goals as well as resource mobilization. The just concluded session focused on how member states can collaborate to tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss and pollution and waste.

Key outcomes of the session:

The Ministerial Declaration: Effective, inclusive and sustainable multilateral actions to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. This Declaration seeks to commit the world’s ministers to cooperate for effective, inclusive and sustainable solutions for the planet through a multilateral system. Member States also agreed to hold the 7the session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA 7) from 8th December – 12th December 2025 in Nairobi. Member States approved the establishment of five new trust funds and the extension of funds listed in the decision until December 31, 2030. In the same decision, member states agreed that the extension of trust funds is an administrative matter that falls under the delegation of the Executive Director and that from UNEA 7 it will no longer require a decision by Member States.
UNEA 6 concluded with the adoption of 15 Resolutions.
GOHAA looks forward to UNEA 7 as this fits snugly with our mandate to provide a multi-sectoral approach to promote the health and wellbeing of people, animals and the environment globally.

• UNEP

Kenyan Poultry Farmers Opposed to Importation of US Poultry Products

Small scale poultry farmers in Kenya have opposed a proposal to allow the importation of finished poultry products from the United States. If the proposed US- Kenya Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership (STIP) is finalised, the US would be able to export finished poultry products to Kenya which poultry farmers argue would be detrimental to the local poultry industry as it poses unfair competition. Lucy Wanjiku is a poultry farmer who rears a flock of 1000 chickens. She says she is opposed to this agreement because she would be forced to shut down her business. “My investment will be lost because I’m unable to compete with the flood of imported poultry products from the USA,” said Wanjiku during a Farmer Sensitisation Meeting in Nairobi. The Poultry Breeders Association of Kenya has now presented a memorandum to the Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industries, Alfred Ombundo K’Ombundo. The memorandum states in part, “the Kenyan poultry sector teeters on the brink of collapse if the imports of finished poultry from the United States flood the market as the local producers cannot compete with a developed market”. The document goes on to state, “allowing imports would weaken local producers, result in job losses, stifle growth and economic activity in rural areas, and jeopardise food security, particularly in vulnerable communities.” Unlike their American counterparts, Kenyan poultry farmers face a myriad of challenges and constraints such as the cost of production which is much higher in Kenya compared to the US. Other significant differences between the two markets include regulations and standards which would make it difficult for local producers to compete on an equal basis. With a domestic demand o f about 300,000 chickens per month for the whole country, Kenya’s poultry sector contributes significantly to employment, food security, nutrition and economic growth. Stakeholders in the Kenyan poultry sector are urging the government to reconsider its stance on the pending agreement with the United States.

• Agriculture