Welcoming Remarks
by Ms. Helena Naber
UNDP Environment Programme Analyst

OPENING CEREMONY OF
Dibeen Socio-Economic Project (Production Workshops)
Dibeen Forest Reserve, Monday, 16 April 2007

Excellencies,
Ladies & Gentlemen


First of all, may I say on behalf of the United Nations Development Programme and the Global Environment Facility, how pleased I am to be part of this event. Today’s opening ceremony is a milestone of our project “Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity in Dibeen Nature Reserve”.

Allow me at this occasion to express my appreciation and admiration for all the continuous efforts of the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature. We consider the RSCN staff the most knowledgeable and experienced in the region in protected area management and we are glad to see that the acquired expertise is now transferred to Dibeen’s project. We are happy to have you as our partners.

There is an important link between biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihood of people, and Dibeen Nature Reserve project could be one of the examples of how the best interest of local communities residing in vicinities of biodiversity rich areas is kept in the core of any programme.

The environmental income can act as a fundamental stepping stone in the economic empowerment of the local communities. Therefore, the local communities surrounding Dibeen Nature Reserve were engaged in the whole process and are part of the Project Steering Committee. With this, they are provided with the opportunities to manage their ecosystems so that they support stable productivity over time. Attention should also be given to activities that women from the local communities can participate in and benefit from.

I am delighted to see many representatives of the local community of Dibeen here with us today and I am sure that all of you here as I am are eager to see the products of the local communities.

The socio-economic programme of our Dibeen Nature Project comes from the belief that the Millennium Development goals will not be reached without securing the ability of the rural poor to feed their families and supply growing markets while also protecting the biodiversity and ecosystem services that sustain their livelihoods.

The opening ceremony of today celebrates the commencement of the production workshops, and it is our hope that their successful implementation will be uptaken by local communities and we hope that they would establish similar initiatives with the assistance of the project and the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to confirm UNDP’s commitment to always help Jordan maintain and benefit for the biodiversity and ecosystem services that underpin human welfare and economic development.

Thank you.