ROYAL VISIT FOR UNIVERSITY PROJECT

The Princess Royal recently visited a programme run by the University to assist in the regeneration of the Niger Delta, in Port Harcourt.

The Niger Delta programme, delivered by the Bradford Centre for International Development (BCID), with the University of Manchester and local partners ANPEZ Centre for Environment and Development, provides training to 25 environmental managers from government, industry, and non-government organisations. The training will better equip participants to tackle the political, economic, social and environmental situation in the region.

Left: The Princess Royal chats to organisers and participants in the Niger Delta programme.

Princess Anne met the participants on the programme as part of a wider official visit to Nigeria. Programme Director, David Howlett, of BCID, said: "The Delta, the largest in Africa, is endowed with immense natural resources, particularly crude oil. It also has the third largest mangrove forest in the world and the full significance of its biodiversity remains unknown. Problems have arisen from the extraction of oil over the last 30 years, which has been accompanied by serious environmental problems and lack of development in local communities. This has led to major confrontations and conflict between local communities, the government and international oil companies."

The programme, which started in June 2001, was contracted to the University by the Environment Policy Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. As part of the programme, the participants will travel to Bradford for a five-week course early next year.

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