Toure is to attend the Global Development Expo at the UN headquarters, Gigiri, between October 28 and November 1. The two-time African Player of the Year is to be unveiled as the newest UNEP Goodwill Ambassador at the Expo.
The Expo will bring together high-level policy makers and both solution providers and seekers, including businesses, organisations and citizens.
President Uhuru Kenyatta is to expected to open the Expo.
Others senior officials expected are former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Jan Eliasson, Unep executive director Achim Steiner among others.
Toure has been vocal in the fight against poaching in Africa and called for an end to the vice at Ivory Coast’s Fifa World Cup qualifier against Morocco on September 14. “Time is running out for African elephants.
The surge in the killing of elephants in Africa and the illegal trafficking in other threatened species will not only threaten the animals, but will affect the livelihoods of millions who depend on tourism for a living.” he said adding “Wildlife crime is a serious threat to the security, political stability, economy, natural resources and cultural heritage of many countries. We need to come together to take action against the illegal trade in wildlife across Africa and across the world.”
“We thank Yaya Toure and the ‘elephants’ of the Ivory Coast football team who today are making a stand--together with the UN, customs and police forces, wildlife groups. Let’s stop the criminals and score some big wins for elephants, rhinos and threatened species everywhere,” said Achim Steiner, UN Under Secretary General and UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director.
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