By Mamadou Edrisa Njie
The Mansa Banko Online media has confirmed that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) Conference of the Parties, COP 25, that was initially scheduled to hold in Chile but was later called off because of the ongoing mass protests in that country, would now be convened in the Spanish city of Madrid.
It could be recalled that Chile’s cancellation of the hosting was conveyed to the UNFCC authorities concerned, by H.E. Ms. Carolina Schmidt, Minister of Environment of Chile.
Meantime, the UNFCC Conference of the Parties, COP 25, Bureau has agreed that, COP25 will take place from 2nd -13th December, 2019 in Madrid, Spain at IFEMA.
A letter signed on the 1st of November, 2019 by Patricia Espinosa, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, confirmed that COP25 will now be held at IFEMA – Feria de Madrid, Spain.
The letter also indicated that the Secretariat and the Government of the Kingdom of Spain are working on procedures to facilitate the issuance of visas in order for participants to attend COP 25 in Madrid.
IFEMA – Feria de Madrid is one of the five most important fair institutions in Europe, and the most important in Spain. During the year-2019, it organises more than 80 commercial fairs and contests specialized in different economic sectors, with approximately 42,000 participating companies.
Many of them, such as ARCOmadrid, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Madrid or FITUR, are events with great international relevance, as Mansa Banko gathered.
Approximately 4.5 million people visit the 200,000 metres squared of exhibition, 12 pavilions and 3 congress centres each year. The area of Campo de las Naciones, in the touristic area of Airport / Feria de Madrid, also has around one hundred meeting rooms, an auditorium and 14,000 parking spaces. The area avails of 8 accesses prepared for disabled people, distributed among the various entry areas (north, south, east and west).
Ms. Patricia Espinosa avowed, “I am now pleased to inform COP25 delegates that the Bureau of the COP has accepted the proposal from the Government of Chile, as incoming Presidency, to hold COP 25 in
Madrid, following the generous offer from the Government of the Kingdom of Spain.”
She disclosed that, the Bureau offered heartfelt thanks to the Government and the people of Spain for their immediate response and readiness to work with the incoming Presidency to organize COP 25 and address the challenges climate change poses to current and future generations.
The Bureau, as Executive Secretary Espinosa intimated, thanked the Government of Chile for their commitment and leadership and reaffirmed their support to the COP25 Presidency. She stated that Chile would continue to hold the Presidency of COP25, with Minister Carolina Schmidt remaining the President-designate.
She further informed that, the Bureau appreciates and fully acknowledges the logistical challenges for the host country as well as for delegates.
She promised that: “The Bureau will work with the Governments of Chile and the Kingdom of Spain, and President-designate Schmidt to address those challenges and to deliver a successful conference.
“The UNFCCC secretariat will now intensify its engagement with the Governments of Chile and Spain to organize the conference as efficiently and expeditiously as possible.”
