18 January 2006 Your Highness, I Write to Thank You for Your Letter Of

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

18 January 2006

I write to thank you for your letter of 25 December 2005, informing me that I have been awarded the Zayed Prize for Global Leadership in Environment.

This is a distinct honour, and I am most grateful. To be recognized for achievements in the field of environment is especially meaningful to me, as I firmly believe that ensuring environmental sustainability is not only a worthwhile goal in itself, but is key to reaching so many of the other goals intended to improve the lives of people around the world.

1 shall be pleased to accept your kind invitation to attend the award ceremony in Dubai on Monday, 6 February 2006. I very much look forward to seeing you on this occasion.

Please accept, Your Highness, the assurances of my highest consideration.

KoTi A*. Annan

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashed Al Maktoum Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates Ruler of Dubai Dubai

.."..: ! UNITED NATIONS mKJ NATIONS UNIES

POSTAL ADDRESS - ADRESSE POSTALE : UNITED NATIONS, N.Y. 10017 CABLE ADDRESS - ADRESSE TELEGRAPHIQUE ; UNATIONS NEWYORK

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL CABINET DU SECRETAIRE GENERAL

18 January 2006

Excellency,

The Secretary-General would be grateful if you could kindly forward the enclosed letter to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Ruler of Dubai.

A copy of the letter is attached for your information.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Mark Malloch Brown Chef de Cabinet

His Excellency Mr. Abdulaziz Nasser R. Al-Shamsi Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations New York 01/19/06 THU 13:16 FAX 212 963 1185 EXEC OFF SEC-GEN/EXT REL 1^001

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UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

POSTAL ADDRESS . ADRES5E POSTJU-E ! UNITED N4TIONB, N.T. 10017

C4BLE. ftDDKESa -ADRSSSETELECRWHIQUK; UNdtlOM5 hdWOFW

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE SECHETARY-QENEFaM. CABINET PU SECRETAIRE GENERAL

18 January 2006

Excellency,

A copy of the letter is attached for your information.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Mark Malloch Brown Chef de Cabinet % Rushid Ai Makiuum CTiOY'N PRISX'E OF OUSrAI O'.'Cil' Defence ijate R\ C E I V f — D Jill JAN 12 2008

H.E. Mr. Kofi Annan or T: The Secretary General, United Nations New York, NY 10017, USA Fax: 001-212-9634762

Subject: The Zayed International Prize for the Environment

Your Excellency,

It gives me great pleasure to congratulate you on being selected as the Zayed. Prize winner for Global Leadership in Enyironment. This first Prize of the third cycle is in recognition of your vision and outstanding initiatives, since the turn of this century, as an effective catalyst for global understanding on the central role of the environment in the achievement of sustainable development.

Your Global Leadershipi. was .demonstrated at the World;....Sjiinmit_.on._Sustamable Development (2002) where you focused on the close relationship between Poverty, Environment and Development through the Water, Energy, Health, Agriculture and Biodiversity (WEHAB) themes. The... Jury ..considered .these ..achievements.^., making, a major impact on human life and contributing to environmental sustainability. I hope that your endeavors to promote sustainable development will be further enhanced and encouraged by this recognition.

Named after a great statesman and a dedicated environmentalist, the Zayed International Prize for the Environment is meant to recognize and encourage environmental achievements that have substantial impact on policies and actions of development in line with the vision and development philosophy of the late SHEIKH ZAYED BIN SULTAN AL NAHYAN, Father of the United Arab Emirates, mercy be upon him. Sheikh Zayed was the man whose vision and unwavering commitment to the environment and development helped turn the Arabian Desert green in our country. He pursued his goal with unparalleled dedication and achieved what many experts believed was impossible. ... -. i, .,, I; ... ; • H- n*\ f '(:<•' '•'< -•^ > ,„-,.'•-.•'* J*1 X.,,;;:^.--i

iiamrcmc' Bits Hashit! .AJ Maklw; CKOV/N PRiSNC E <0t DUEAi Minister of Defecice

Date, Number

We will be honored to have you with us in the Third Award Ceremony,..which willJake place here in Dubai on Febjnjar^&dbj^^2006. As the First prize winner you will receive a special trophy, the Zayed Prize Diploma and US$500,000. We hope that you can deliver a short address at the ceremony. Your confirmation will be appreciated so that we can make the necessary arrangements for hosting you here in the United Arab Emirates.

I look forward to seeing you here in Dubai to receive the award and to discuss prospects of collaboration for our common future.

Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

General Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Crown Prince of Dubai; UAE Defence Minister Patron of the Zayed International Prize for the Environment Permanent Mission of the ^ta^^a*», UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 3Jl*dJ to the United Nations 5Jj>cdl New York EMulES Office of the Ambassador au..i

Ref. 19/2006 f K S

12 January, 2006 _____

H.E. Mr. Kofi A. Annan Secretary-General of the United Nations JAN United Nations, Room S-3800 New York, N.Y. 10017 OFTI-L-;.;•'.: .1

Excellency,

I have the great honour of_wmgrattUating YourExcellency, for being .the winner of the Global Leadership for the Environment Award,, in recognition of your outstanding leadership.

Under the patronage of His Highness .Sheikh, Mohammed. Bin Rashed Al Maktoum, who is now the Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and the Patron of the Zayed International Prize for the Environment, preparations are currently underway to hold the Thud Award Ceremony honouring the recipients of the Zayed International Prize, which will take place on 6 February, 2006. The Ceremony will be attended by 140 Ministers representing nations from all over the world in addition to consultants, experts and directors of United Nations organizations and agencies.

In this connection, I have the honour to enclose herewith the letter of invitation from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashed Al Maktoum, inviting _ Your Excellency to attend the above-mentioned Award Ceremony on 6 February as the first honoree and, on 7 February, to accompany His Highness, along with the various dignitaries and directors of the international organizations, to inaugurate the Ninth Special Session of the Governing Council and Global Ministerial Environment Forum 2006, which is being held for the first time hi the Arab and Middle East region. We very much hope that you can attend.

3 Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, 305 East 47th Street, fh Floor New York, N. Y. 10017 Tel. (212) 371-0480 Ext. 224 Fax (212) 371-4923 -2-

Due to the official nature of the invitation and the limited time constraint, it would be greatly appreciated if a representative from your office would kindly contact our ^Mission with a response and, if Your Excellency is able to attend, to provide us with the details of your arrival in the UAE.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of mymghest consideration.

Abdulaziz N. Al-Shamsi Ambassador Permanent Representative THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

18 January 2006

Dear MVlr^Eeplerr ,

Thank you for your letter of 15 December 2005, informing me that I have been selected by the jury of the Zayed International Prize for the Environment as the winner of the 2006 Global Leadership for the Environment Award.

I am deeply honoured to have been chosen to receive this prestigious award. To be recognized for achievements in the field of environment is especially meaningful to me, since I firmly.believe that ensuring environmental sustainability is not only a goal onto itself, but is key to reaching so many of the other goals that have been set to better the lives of people around the world. Let me also thank you for your unwavering support for my efforts to keep the environment at the top of my agenda.

I am pleased to confirm to you that, in view of the significance of this honour, I have decided to travel to Dubai to attend the award ceremony on 6 February. I have just received the official invitation from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and will be replying to him separately. % i I look forward to seeing you in Dubai.

Yours sincerely,

Mr. Klaus Topfer Executive Director United Nations Environment Programme Nairobi Note to the Secretary-General

2006 Zayed International Environment Award

You were informed last month by Mr. Toepfer that you had been awarded the 2006 Zayed International Prize for the Environment. We have now received the official invitation (attached) from His Highness Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, for you to attend the award ceremony in Dubai on 6 February. You are also being invited to inaugurate, on 7 February, the 9th Special Session of the Governing Council and Global Ministerial Environment Forum, which is being held for the first time in the Arab region.

I am also attaching a letter from Mr. Toepfer, received today, informing you that it has not been possible to change the date of the award ceremony, which has been re-confirmed for Monday, 6 February.

A trip to Dubai on these dates would not fit well in your schedule. You will just have returned from overseas travel on 1 February. Also, please note that we have th recently been informed that the 6 of February is the likely date for the visit of the (j\Jj<^'»J.A.i^t Senate Foreign Relations Committee to United Nations Headquarters. l^y^-v^ |

Would you wish Mr. Toepfer to receive the award on your behalf? Or should we explore with the Permanent Mission whether they would consider arranging a smaller ceremony here at Headquarters, where you could personally receive the prize? You may also consider sending a video-taped message or a doing a live video-link, however the time difference may make the latter option an inconvenient one.

1 would be grateful for your guidance.

'Kevin S. enney 16 January 2QOV

cc : ' M H /J i CL , U niteci Nations Environ me nt •.•-*..__ • .' • • • . • • " - ' • '" ' ' * ' " • • • * . .

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: .. Only, sorn^ hours..later.on. Sunday,..! was.informed that after' re- corisideration, Qu J3aj'. vviil ,stkfe tp the .p reviQUsyschedule'/for the: spetia I sessic>n> .including th6:pri2ie. ceremonybn'the eVehihg' of .the ^ffi of >•!—,—_. —, ..i-ij;—_-ij«,_riw_-Jij-^,.,j—L^-iv_^ ,.—-..-.vf—• t.—i—;•-;... - -.-'-- —^ .——i^~f-f-~~. ..—.—._.—.—•—; ,.-j«_—.wj— •-*.—, --^ —-^. ^^—- February.'^: ' -.'.".••'.'-.'"'•.'•''.•''"'' •; :'• •.'-•''••":. ••..•'.•:' '•"••-. .--••.•:•

rhave to apQJQqisefor this^^ unforeseenxnange:'and I Would. . . strongly r^.mmodtatyupa .bngiriially cnv|bja;gc.d/' I^ K^ ybur participatibri,^ which go rnucft beyond: be€nvirbnfti:e.nt field/. .

'.I wplil.d; ipyfito.learn.of your.final'decisfon'a.n.d,I am available r^yoxron i^iiriobile^ ;-,-• :::: .)'••-..'. '."•'•' .•..'.

Yours sincerely,. .! . .. : . .: ..

Executive Director. Mr Kofi.Annan...; V

..FaX:Np::;(lil2>953.2J;?5

OFFICE .O»FF THE i EXECUTIYE'PIREetQR' . • ' . ' !•' ' Kenya • Teb[2.54-2]624001/2-.Fax;[254 2] 226895

RECEIVED TIME' 'JAM. 16.'10:36AM. General Mohammad Bin Rashid Ai Maklouret CROWN PRINCE OP OUfcA! ec of Defence. /J K

C E i ¥ E |: ! uii' 22008 '.:'

H.E. Mr. Kofi Annan OFTIL.K.-: -.'... : -;-' The Secretary General, United Nations New York, NY 10017, US A Fax: 001-212-9634762

Subject: The Zayed International Prize for the Environment

Your Excellency,

It gives me great pleasure to congratulate you on .being selected .as, the. Zayed,.Prize winner_for Global Leadership. in_ E^jronrnent. This first Prize of the third cycle is in recognition of your vision and outstanding initiatives, since the turn of this century, as an effective catalyst for global understanding on the central role of the environment in the achievement of sustainable development.

Your ...Global . Leadership^, was, ..demonstrated at the .. .^pri^Summ^ D?velo_pjnent...(2002) where you focused on the close relationship between Poverty, Environment and Development through the Water, Energy, Health, Agriculture and Biodiversity (WEHAB) themes. The_ Jury.. considered., th.ese._,a.chievements....as._making_a major impact on human life and contributing tp.enviroruneritaLsTJ.stairiabiliry. I hope that your endeavors to promote sustainable development will be further enhanced and encouraged by this recognition.

Named after a great statesman and a dedicated environmentalist, the Zayed International Prize for the Environment is meant to recognize and encourage environmental achievements that have substantial impact on policies and actions of development in line with the vision and development philosophy of the late SHEIKH ZAYED BIN SULTAN AL NAHYAN, Father of the United Arab Emirates, mercy be upon him. Sheikh Zayed was the man whose vision and unwavering commitment to the environment and development helped turn the Arabian Desert green in our country. He pursued his goal with unparalleled dedication and achieved what many experts believed was impossible. *«-''fi> zt'^Lfl-i'S' -/ United, A-fafj Krti?rE,£.« General Mohammad Bits Rashid CROWN PRINCE OF DUBAI Minister of Defence

,tat* Number

We will be honored to have you with us in the Third Award Ceremony,, which will take place here in Dubai on iFebruaiy.^6th, 2006. As the First prize winner you will receive a special trophy, the Zayed Prize Diploma and US$500>000. We hope that you can dejiver a short address at the ceremony. Your confirmation will be appreciated so that we can make the necessary arrangements for hosting you here in the United Arab Emirates.

I look forward to seeing you here in Dubai to receive the award and to discuss prospects of collaboration for our common future.

Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

General Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Crown Prince of Dubai; UAE Defence Minister Patron of the Zayed International Prize for the Environment UNITED NATIONS HUgg NATIONS UNIES ^Sj'XrS^ NEW YORK

OFFICE OF THE CHEF DE CABINET OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

2006 Zayed International Prize for the Environment

Secretapy-General,

Please find attached a letter from Mr. Toepfer, informing you that you have been awarded the 2006 Zayed International Prize for the Environment.

The office of the Deputy Secretary-General has been asked to advise on the most appropriate way to respond, and whether there should be someone at the ceremony to represent you.

Thank you. '

21 December 2005 15/12 2005 THU 16:57FAX +25420624557 oed-unep i& u u i / u uo ' ••••' +25420624557

^A\' United Nations Environment Programme : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : 1: - i •^p:jV! • "" "' •:•""' '•• " .• ".'-: ' :' \^-^^-^'---\..^ ;+::-:. :s- ':':? " -- -'" + .' :f r-'t:?'^-'-' ? .t' -'~-':''i\ :'. V '~: ^*'-.'"••'.''"". ' ' " -' ' •

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OurRef: OED/NN 15 December 2005 i i K>K Dear Secretary-General, OFTHc L.-.ric I.-.RV-OU1 CRAL As chair of jury of the Zayed International Prize for the Environment I have the I greatest pleasure in informing you that you have been chosen as the winner of the 2006 Global Leadership for the Environment award.

JThe_JBiyj_whg deliberated in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Sunday 11 December 2005 were unanimous in their view.

Namely that your vision and leadership has, since the turn of the century been a growing catalyst for global understanding on the centrality of the environment in the quest for sustainable development.

Thejury specifically pointed to your pivotal role in the 2002 World Summit in South Africa and your thought provoking, reform orientated, reports in the run up to the 2005 World Summit in New York.

Two other prizes will also be awarded on 6 February at the ceremony in Dubai.

The prize for Scientific and/or Technological Achievement in Environment will be given to "the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, a project you personally called for in 2000 which reported in 2005.

The prize for Environmental Action Leading to Positive Change in Society will be shared by two winners. .

These are Angela Cropper, President of the Cropper Foundation who is mciden!ally"also" a co-chair of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, and Emil Salim, the former Indonesian State Minister for Population and the Environment"and the chair of the board of trustees for numerous Indonesian environmental organizations.

Mr. Kofi Annan Secretary-General, United Nations, United Nations Headquarters New York USA. Fax: (1 212) 963-2155 or 3511

OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR P.O. Box 30552, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya - Tell (254 20) 62 3386, 3416,3652; Fax: (254 20) 62 4275/62 4608 • E-mail: [email protected]

._ RECEIVED TIME DEC. 15 8:53AM 15/12 2005 THU 16:57 FAX +25420624557 oed-unep . . . @|002/005 - -v. -- -;••-"- •••.•-•'..-•. "'+25420624557' ' : •'• - s." ' ••;••• ,-•.. ..

The Zayed Intematicmal Prize for the Environment, established to acknowledge the environmental commitment of the late Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan, is worth $ 1 million and is considered among the most prestigious environment-related awards in the world.

Previous Global Leadership winners have been Jimmy Carter, the former President of the United States, and the British Broadcasting Corporation for their global media commitment to environment and sustainable development issues.

We look forward to welcoming you personally in Dubai for the awards ceremony in the full and certain knowledge that your physical presence will be an inspiration to the peoples of this region and to the peoples of the world.

It will also underline the links between the environment and our common interest in seeing a more stable, healthy and peaceful world and the role of multilateralism and the United Nations in delivering this.

I have the pleasure of enclosing the citation for the 2006 Global Leadership for the Environment award which explains in more'detail why the jury selected you.

Yours sincerely,

Klaus Toepfer Executive Director

RECEIVED TIME DEC. 15... 8:53AM 15/12 200S THU 16:58 FAX +25420624557 oed-unep +25420624557

The Zayed International Prize for the Environment

Citation for Kofi Annan—the 2006 Prize Winner for Global Leadership for the Environment

The Zayed International Prize for the Environment recognizes global leadership in the fields of the environment and sustainable development. In the opinion of the Zayed Prize jury one person has done more than most to catalyze political and public opinion to an understanding that the environment is a fundamental pillar of sustainable development.

That person is the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan.

The past year has been a momentous one for the United Nations and for the cause of sustainable development culminating in the 2005 World Summit in New York in September.

Here heads of state from around the world met to review the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.

Mr Annan's leadership and tireless personal commitment to the Goals has been one of the hall marks.

It has helped galvanize committed governments, civil society and others towards their common goal of underlining the centrality of the environment in the quest for sustainable development.

In order to stimulate discussion and commitment in the run up to the summit, the UN Secretary-General commissioned his High Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change leading to the report "A More Secure World: Our Shared Responsibility'*.

In this Mr Annan states unequivocally that the environment is crucial for delivering a more stable and just world.

RECEIVED TIME. DEC. 15.. 8:53AM 15/12 2005 THU 16:58 FAX +25420624557 oed-unep @]004/005 +25420624557

"Environmental degradation has enhanced the destructive potential of natural disasters and in some cases hastened their occurrence. More than two billion people were affected in the last decade".

"In Larger Freedom, Towards Development, Security and Human Rights For All" was Mr Annan's report for heads of state and governments meeting at the summit.

The Zayed Jury also noted the personal leadership of the Secretary-General at the World Summit on Sustainable Development hi 2002 in South Africa that addressed the Water, Energy, Health, Agriculture and Biodiversity (WEHAB) themes.

Here governments agreed on the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, a plan that extended and widened the internationally agreed development goals.

Five years ago, recognizing the potential threat that environmental degradation posed for people around the world, Mr Annan also called for the first-ever international scientific assessment of the health of the world's ecosystems. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment reported in 2005, again in the run up to last September's World Summit.

Its findings highlighted not only the scale of the damage to the earth's life support systems but the economic importance of the Earth's natural capital. The Assessment, along with momentum triggered by the Secretary- General's other initiatives, are now spawning new partnerships and new paths for fighting poverty. These include the Poverty and Environment Partnership involving governments, non-governmental organizations and bodies like the UN Development Programme and the UN Environment Programme.

Mr Annan has emphasized the importance of the multilateral system in all facets of his work, convinced that global environmental challenges require global cooperation.

RECEIVED TIME DEC. 15. 8:53AM 15/12 2005 THU 16:58 FAX +25420624557 oed-unep +25420624557

His Global Compact initiative, engaging the private sector and private business, also illuminates his personal view that sustainable development is an issue that commands cooperation from all walks of life, all sections of society. The Zayed Prize jury believe for these, and for many other compelling reasons, Kofi Annan is the worthy winner of this year's global award named in honour of the late Sheik Zayed Al Nahyan in recognition of his vision and actions towards the environment.

They also commended the forward looking initiative of HH Sheikh Mohamad Al Makhtoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and United Arab Emirates Minister of Defense, for the establishment of this most prestigious of environmental awards.

RECEIVED TIME DEC, 15. 8:53AM..