On 13 June 2016 – The UNEP Baobab Staff Awards programme was established in 2007 by the outgoing Executive Director, Achim Steiner, to recognize and reward exceptional performance and dedication to achieving the goals of UNEP. It takes its name after the baobab tree, which symbolizes strength, power and resilience.
The programme is an initiative within the framework of the wider human resources management reforms. It provides staff members with an opportunity to express their appreciation for the achievements of their colleagues and for the cooperation and support they have received from their peers and managers by nominating them for a UNEP Baobab Award. The awards seek to recognize staff who exhibit outstanding examples of professional and personal commitment to UNEP and the global environment.
Winners of the Baobab 2016 awards were named on June 13, 2016 at a ceremony which was presided over by Mr. Steiner. This year, the awards had five categories namely: Environmental Service Award, Managerial Service Award, Outstanding Team Award, Programme Innovation Award and Support Service Award.
Dr. Richard Munang, Regional Climate Change Programme Coordinator in Africa, was the sole winner in the Programme Innovation Award category. He won the award for spearheading the creation of the AfricaEcosystem Based Adaptation for Food Security Assembly (EBAFOSA), an innovative regional policy framework to harmonize, in a participatory way, policy and implementation actions toward up-scaling solutions in EBA-driven agriculture and value chains, to achieve EBA policy integration and concrete implementation through country driven processes and institutions. Established just under a year ago, EBAFOSA has already been launched in seven countries and more are expected to follow suit.
In his acceptance speech, Dr. Munang thanked the UNEP staff for nominating him and said he was very humbled to be recognized and honoured with the award. He added that the project’s achievements are the result of excellent teamwork, hence thanked his colleagues for their continuous support and contribution in the project.
We celebrate you Richard Munang!
Source: UNEP
It is good platform where we get to know those who have made any valuable contribution to their society and how while, we give education.