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UN chief appoints former leaders of Ghana, Norway as special envoys on climate change

Togo - Societe
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon on Monday announced the appointment of two special envoys to mobilize political will and action ahead of the 2014 Climate Summit.
"The Special Envoys are John Kufuor, former President of Ghana, and Jens Stoltenberg, former Prime Minister of Norway," said a statement released here by Ban's spokesperson.

Ban has asked the special envoys to assist in engaging heads of state and government around the world in discussions at the 2014 Climate Summit he plans to convene in New York in September during the annual General Assembly meeting, said the statement.

As part of their work, the special envoys will assist Ban in his consultations with world leaders to raise the level of ambition to address climate change and to accelerate action, and provide strategic advice, according to the statement.

In his address to the current General Assembly at the opening of the General Debate in the past September, Ban invited leaders from governments, businesses and civil society organizations "to bring bold announcements and actions to the 2014 Climate Summit to raise the level of ambition through new and more robust action on climate change."

The Summit will be "an important milestone" to mobilize political commitment for the conclusion of a global agreement by 2015, as well as to spur enhanced action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build climate resilient communities, said the statement.

"The secretary-general looks forward to working with these two highly respected international figures on a matter that is of the highest importance to the future of our planet," it said.

According to the statement, as its president from 2001 to 2009, Kufuor led Ghana to become the first country in Sub-Sahara Africa to cut in half the proportion of people who suffer from hunger and poverty, and those living on less than a dollar per day.

Recognized for his personal commitment and visionary leadership while serving as the president of Ghana, and in particular for creating and implementing government policies to alleviate hunger and poverty in his country, Kufuor received the World Food Prize in 2011.

He also served as Chairperson of the African Union from 2007 to 2008.

Stoltenberg, who worked with Ban before on climate change, led a 21-member High Level Advisory Group on Climate Financing along with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

In 2010, Stoltenberg convened a group consisting of the most important forest countries to coordinate and contribute to measures against deforestation in these countries and to give forests a central role in a new climate agreement.