UN-HABITAT
Press Release, Nairobi 28 November 2007
UN-HABITAT’s Executive Director, Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka, warmly congratulates H.E. Mr. Joachim Chissano, the former President of Mozambique, on being awarded the prestigious Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership.
In a statement on behalf of herself and the staff of the agency, Mrs. Tibaijuka said: “This is a victory not only for Mr. Chissano, but for the people of Mozambique who have worked so hard to rally behind a good leader to promote development, peace and stability in their country after a long difficult period. UN-HABITAT also wishes to congratulate the former Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan, and other members of the award panel for their diligence in making this difficult choice from an array of many eminent candidates. UN-HABITAT wishes Mr. Chissano everything of the best in his continuing quest to set a shining example for leadership excellence and the betterment of humankind. We look forward to his continued support of our urban youth development activities.”
Background
On World Habitat Day, 4 October 2004, Mr. Chissano became the first African leader to be awarded UN-HABITAT’s own prestigious Habitat Scroll of Honour in which he was cited for “his tireless efforts to uplift the lot of the poorest of the poor in Africa”. A champion of the urban and rural poor in his own country, the citation said President Chissano had never missed an opportunity as Chairman of the African Union to bring their plight to the world stage. He was instrumental in lending political support to the drive by African mayors to devolve authority to local governments so that basic services such as water, sanitation, electricity and shelter could be ensured.
Later, at the third session of the World Urban Forum in June 2006 in Vancouver, Canada, Mrs. Tibaijuka appointed President Chissano as the agency’s Youth Ambassador to ensure that the concerns of young people remain high on the international agenda. “Your important mission as UN-HABITAT’s Youth Ambassador, especially in African cities, but also elsewhere in the developing world, will prove invaluable to us in our drive for better employment and capacity building, crime prevention, urban governance and regional networking,” Mrs. Tibaijuka said at the time. In his address, President Chissano responded by urging young people to play an active role in the sustainable development of their cities and towns by making their concerns heard, and by focusing on education and entrepreneurship to be able to contribute meaningfully and positively.
For further information, please contact: Press & Media Relations Unit, Tel: +254 20 7623151, 7623013, E-mail: , Webiste: www.unhabitat.org