World applauds Nobel winner

NAIROBI – Environmentalists, conservationists and world leaders have hailed the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Kenyan ecologist Wangari Maathai, with Greenpeace describing it as overdue recognition of the link between environmental concerns and world peace.

Maathai, Kenya’s assistant minister for the environment since 2003, becomes the first African woman and the first environmentalist to win the peace prize after founding the largest tree planting project in Africa 27 years ago, her start to the fight against illegal logging. “We’re clearly delighted that the influential Nobel committee has put the green into peace,” Greenpeace, the ecological group, said.”For the Nobel committee to recognise the twin threat of environmental destruction and global security is a very significant statement to the world.”Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki said Maathai had “done the country and Africa proud”.”As Kenyans we must re-dedicate ourselves to the fight to conserve the environment as a gesture of appreciation of the prestigious award to one of our own,” Kibaki said.In Germany, Chancellor Helmut Schroeder said Maathai “had given hope to people around the world”.”(She) sent signals for the protection of basic human values, for democracy, human and women’s rights in Africa and beyond,” he added.In Warsaw, Lech Walesa, winner of the 1983 Nobel peace price, welcomed the award of this year’s prize to Maathai as “a good idea” in the face of the environmental problems around the world.”We must defend ourselves and organise otherwise, all the world’s forests will disappear,” the PAP news agency quoted the former Polish president and head of Solidarity Union as saying.”It means the world appreciates the work of environmentalists,” said Evans Mukolwe, the head of the Kenyan delegation to a meeting in Bangkok of the global body regulating the wildlife trade.”The world appreciates that the environment is deteriorating and something drastic has to be done to reverse that deteriorating situation.Honouring Wangari Maathai is just one way of expressing that.”The award came on the day that the 166 nations that are part of the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (Cites) moved to protect hardwood forests in Asia from rampant commercial logging.”This is a great achievement for Africa and many women who are engaged in the daily struggles for social justice, gender equality, and restoring the dignity of the African people,” South Africa’s Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said in a statement.”Such a prize gives a high profile to the environment, to Africa and to the role of women,” said Hosny Lakany, deputy head of the Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization.”It’s the first time, I think, we are linking the environment and peace, and that’s important.”Maathai “is probably Africa’s staunchest defender of the environment and a leader whose example should inspire us all, especially the women and children of Africa who so much deserve role models to show them the way to a better future,” a spokesman for the Nairobi-based United Nations Environment Programme told AFP by phone.- Nampa-AFP”We’re clearly delighted that the influential Nobel committee has put the green into peace,” Greenpeace, the ecological group, said.”For the Nobel committee to recognise the twin threat of environmental destruction and global security is a very significant statement to the world.”Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki said Maathai had “done the country and Africa proud”.”As Kenyans we must re-dedicate ourselves to the fight to conserve the environment as a gesture of appreciation of the prestigious award to one of our own,” Kibaki said.In Germany, Chancellor Helmut Schroeder said Maathai “had given hope to people around the world”.”(She) sent signals for the protection of basic human values, for democracy, human and women’s rights in Africa and beyond,” he added.In Warsaw, Lech Walesa, winner of the 1983 Nobel peace price, welcomed the award of this year’s prize to Maathai as “a good idea” in the face of the environmental problems around the world.”We must defend ourselves and organise otherwise, all the world’s forests will disappear,” the PAP news agency quoted the former Polish president and head of Solidarity Union as saying.”It means the world appreciates the work of environmentalists,” said Evans Mukolwe, the head of the Kenyan delegation to a meeting in Bangkok of the global body regulating the wildlife trade.”The world appreciates that the environment is deteriorating and something drastic has to be done to reverse that deteriorating situation.Honouring Wangari Maathai is just one way of expressing that.”The award came on the day that the 166 nations that are part of the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (Cites) moved to protect hardwood forests in Asia from rampant commercial logging.”This is a great achievement for Africa and many women who are engaged in the daily struggles for social justice, gender equality, and restoring the dignity of the African people,” South Africa’s Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said in a statement.”Such a prize gives a high profile to the environment, to Africa and to the role of women,” said Hosny Lakany, deputy head of the Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization.”It’s the first time, I think, we are linking the environment and peace, and that’s important.”Maathai “is probably Africa’s staunchest defender of the environment and a leader whose example should inspire us all, especially the women and children of Africa who so much deserve role models to show them the way to a better future,” a spokesman for the Nairobi-based United Nations Environment Programme told AFP by phone.- Nampa-AFP