A minute of silence opened the annual conference of the United Nations Environment Programme on Monday in memory of those killed in the Ethiopian Airlines plane crash .
The 4th UN Environment Assembly is holding in Nairobi this week, as the international body has to deliberate with heavy hearts.
22 UN employees, including six from the UN Environment Agency (UNEP), died in the crash, which killed 157 people of 35 different nationalities.
Maimunah Sharif, Executive Director of UN Habitat led the opening ceremony “ In our grief, let us reflect on the fact that our colleagues were willing to travel and work away from home and their loved ones to make the world a better place. The United Nations in Nairobi is ready to support all those affected by this tragedy.”
The flags of member countries that usually fly in the aisle leading to the conference centre have all been removed, leaving only the United Nations blue banner at half-mast.
“With the support of our headquarters, advisers have been deployed in Nairobi, Addis Ababa and Geneva. Call centres will also be created.” said Maimunah Sharif, Executive Director of UN Habitat.
Several people scheduled to attend the conference were on board the aircraft. A conference also attended by heads of state, ministers, researchers, members of civil society and private sector actors from all over the world. A minute of silence was observed at the opening of each meeting.
