Bonn,
3 September 2011 - UNEP Executive Director and Under-Secretary-General
of the United Nations, Achim Steiner, took the opportunity
of his attendance at the 64th
Annual UN DPI NGO Conference in Bonn to visit
the staff of the UNEP/CMS, ASCOBANS, EUROBATS and AEWA Secretariats.

Mr Steiner set out the challenges facing
the United Nations in turbulent times – both politically
and financially - and stressed the importance of engaging
Parties so that the relevance of the UN as the prime forum
for international discussion of key global issues was universally
recognized.

He praised staff for their dedication,
promised continuing support from HQ in recruiting new Parties
and expressed his confidence that the upcoming CMS COP10
in Bergen, Norway would bring satisfactory results.