Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation

London, 3rd October 2007, H.S.H. Prince Albert II presided over the second meeting of his Foundation’s Board of Directors.

The meeting welcomed two new members, Mr John Gummer, former UK Secretary of State for the Environment and Chairman of Sancroft International Ltd, an environmental consultancy company and Mr Otto Steinmetz, a member of the Board of the Dresdner Bank and the bank’s Chief Risk Officer.

The English branch, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation (GB), was set up on this occasion in the premises of the Consulate of Monaco. Mrs Eveylne Genta, Mr Tim Thornton Jones and Mr Lionel Schutz are the directors.

Furthermore, the Board of Directors has taken note of the establishment of the French and American branches of the Foundation.

4 new projects were presented during the meeting:

-The assessment of the impact of global warming on the state of health of polar bears based on the combined study of the physiological effects of pollutants and the destructive impact on their habitat. A project suggested by the National Environmental Research Institute of Denmark (NERI)

- To set up a reconnaissance mission in Madagascar and Mozambique to increase knowledge and fill gaps in the exploration and description of biodiversity. A partnership with the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle de Paris, the MNHN.

- Aid for cooperation between cities for the treatment of urban effluent in order to implement concrete projects using the experience gained in another city (e.g. the city of Bangkok has set up a decentralised and inexpensive system to treat effluent and is currently working with the city of Makati in the Philippines). Project with UNITAR, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research.

-To promote and develop the cultivation of medicinal plants in Africa, in compliance with the requirements of the international bio-pharmaceutical industry, in order to encourage the economic and sustainable development of these regions. In partnership with the Biotechnological Foundation for sustainable development in Africa and the University of Montreal.



An update was also given concerning work under way:

- The conservation of Biodiversity in Ankor, the conservation of endangered species in Cambodia, the goal being to aid development and to monitor on a long-term basis the first nature conservation centre in Cambodia (ACCB). In partnership with Act for Nature, a Monegasque NGO.

- The catchment of six mountain sources in Northern Mali in Gandamia, in order to give access to drinking water to several thousand villagers. In partnership with the American NGO Near East Foundation and ENGEES, the “école nationale du génie de l’eau et de l’environnement de Strasbourg”.

-Aid to conserve the giraffes of Niger, the last giraffes in West Africa, a local development project focused on the conservation of fauna, in partnership with the association to save the giraffes of Niger.

- Aid to protect the endangered albatross and petrel species in the South Indian Ocean in order to understand the behavioural and ecological mechanisms of this region. The results of the project will be used to define conservation areas based on scientific knowledge. A project in collaboration with the Institut Polaire Français Paul Emile Victor, Bird Life International, the Bird Protection League (LPO) and the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS).



The next meeting of the Foundation will take place in Monaco on 21st February 2008 within the framework of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Governing Council meeting.