African health and environment ministers will gather for the first time from 26 to 29 August 2008 to enhance political commitment and investments for reducing environmental threats to health.

The First Inter-Ministerial Conference on Health and Environment in Africa will be hosted by the Government of Gabon, together with WHO and the United Nations Environment Programme. Participants will come from health and environment ministries, multilateral and bilateral agencies, media, non-governmental organizations and civil society.

The conference will explore ways to address key priorities and linkages in line with its theme “Health security through healthy environments”. It will review existing mechanisms and opportunities to address environmental challenges facing Africa. An agreement on specific actions required for changes in institutional arrangements and investment frameworks will be discussed.