The Memorandum of Understanding between NSFC (National Natural Science Foundation of China) and UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) was signed in Beijing on November 11, 2010. Prof. Chen Yiyu, President of NSFC and Mr. Achim Steiner, Deputy Secretary General of UN and Executive Director of UNEP affixed their signatures to the MOU on behalf of their respective agencies.
Before the signature, Prof. Chen Yiyu met with Mr. Steiner and expressed thanks for his attendance on the annual meeting of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development. Prof. Chen briefed the guests about the progress of NSFC and expressed that NSFC had all along attached importance to environment issue and conducted all-around and effective funding in many fields.
Mr. Steiner thanked Prof. Chen for taking time out of his busy schedule for the signing ceremony. The both sides realized that it was just the well-made preparation since Prof. Chen s visit to UNDP last September that resulted in the signing of the MOU. They also expressed wishes to develop cooperation and exchanges in the field of environment and make contributions to the collaboration between China and Africa by making the best use of the reached consensus.
UNEP participants include Zhang Shigang, coordinator of UNEP China Office, Wang Zhijia, Special Coordinator, Division of Regional Cooperation and Liu Jian, Director of International Ecosystem Management Partnership. NSFC attendees are Chai Yucheng, Executive Deputy Director of the Department of Earth Sciences, Chang Qing, Deputy Director of the Bureau of International Cooperation, Yu Zhenliang, Department of Life Science and staff from NSFC Division of Asia and Africa Affairs.
