Qatar has been leading the way on the matter of sustainable development by establishing the Qatar National Food Security Programme (QNFSP) back in 2008, following the vision and direction of HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, HE the Chairman of Qatar’s Administrative Control and Transparency Authority Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah, who is also the elected president of the Climate Change Conference (COP18), has said.

Delivering the keynote address before the Global Green Growth Summit (GGGS) which opened here yesterday, al-Attiyah said: “Evidently the ability of developing countries to adopt sustainable growth strategies and to transition to green economies will play a critical role in mitigating the adverse effects of climate change”.

“As you all know, Qatar will be hosting COP18 this winter. And as the incoming president, I hope that the international community builds on the positive outcome that was achieved in Durban last year... We are committed to hosting a transparent and progressive discussion in Doha”, he added.

Al-Attiyah further said, “Therefore, I urge all member-states to be open and frank in expressing their views and discussing issues of climate change”.

“It gives me great pleasure this morning to address such as prestigious gathering of policymakers and experts from around the work, and to take part in this important summit.

“During the summit, we shall be discussing the most challenging and critical issue of our time, namely the transition to a new, more sustainable paradigm of economic growth and development. It is therefore fitting that we come together in Seoul to examine concrete opportunities and contribute actionable recommendations for improving international co-operation in the various dimensions of the green economy.

“Because the questions we face are tremendous in both scope and magnitude, we need to ask:

1. How to mobilise governments who are willing to engage in green growth planning?
2. How to build the capacity of such governments as well as the research community to apply these ?

3. And how to stimulate the knowledge transfers among governments committed to such strategies?

“In light of these many challenges, I would like to personally commend the achievements of the Global Green Growth institute (GGGI) since its inception in 2010.

“Despite a short timeframe, GGGI has managed to make significant headway towards facilitating a south-south dynamic of policy innovation and evidence-based learning.

“As we gather today, I would like to take the opportunity to announce Qatar’s support to the upcoming conversion of GGGI into a full-fledged international organisation.

“It is therefore with much anticipation that we look forward to signing the GGGI Establishment Agreement at Rio+20 next month in Brazil - a Conference in which the State of Qatar will play an important role,” he said.