Mohamed said Kenya is pursuing the implementation of the decision by heads of state, now enshrined in the Rio Declaration, to consolidate functions of UNEP in Nairobi.

She added the importance of having UNEP in Kenya, cannot also be over-emphasised. Delivering Kenya’s position address at the UN headquarters in New York during the UN General Debate, Mohamed said climate change is disrupting the livelihoods of millions of people and called for firm environmental conservation actions as outlined in the Paris climate agreement.

She commended the UN for the measures that have been taken so far to strengthen and upgrade UNEP to enable it to respond to environmental challenges.

Meanwhile, Kenya and the Republic of Lithuania have signed a bilateral agreement to establish a mechanism for political consultations to strengthen bilateral relations.

Foreign Cabinet Secretary, Ambassador Amina Mohamed, and her Lithuanian counterpart, Linus Linkevicius, signed the agreement in a brief ceremony held on the side-lines of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly in New York, USA.

Lithuania is represented in East Africa through a consulate in Nairobi represented by Senior Counsel George Oraro, while Kenya administers Vilnius through its ambassador in Moscow, Russia.

The consultations within the framework of the MoU will be held between senior officials of the foreign ministries of the two countries.

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