Durban Convention Centre.(SABC)
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The United Nations is planning a swift take-over of Durban's convention centre precinct this week. This comes ahead of the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change scheduled to take place from the 28 November to 9 December.
This is when earth's biggest climate change conference comes to town. Primed and ready, the port city has morphed into a big, green, working machine. A green roof-top oasis - smack in the middle of Durban's concrete jungle. Every effort is being made to work around the natural flora.
The excitement's palpable. Staff registration and pre-sessions start tomorrow.
UN conference co-ordinator Salwa Dallalah says, "Everything that’s happening within the ICC and exhibition halls will be under UN control in the sense that UN department of safety and security will be in charge of arrangements there. It just allows us to create our own headquarters away from Bonn."
Ethekwini Mayor James Nxumalo says, "The overall budget for the whole conference for 10 days is going to be plus-minus R500 million...that’s for everything, but from our side we don't have a problem of the budget 'cause all departments are also making their own contribution from their own budgets."
A seamless transportation network is planned, but road closures must be expected though.
Over 2 000 media personnel will be present at the conference including a SABC team.
