The president of Gabon Ali Bongo Ondima officially launched the African Climate Change week in Libreville-Gabon on Monday, August 29, 2022.
Kenya was represented by the Cabinet Secretary for Environment Keriako Tobiko among other Dignitaries.
In his opening speech, the hosting president called on African countries to unite to beat the Climate Change crisis.
He stressed the importance of preserving and sustaining Africa’s significant resources endangered by climate Change
“…the time has come for Africans to take our destiny into our own hands, our continent is blessed with all the necessary assets for sustainable prosperity, abundant natural resources, impressive biodiversity, and the world’s youngest and largest working population,” he said.
He however insisted that to expound on its potential, Africa and the world must address the Climate Change crisis and acknowledged that Africa is the most vulnerable continent with impacts already existing.
He declared that droughts are the main cause of extreme famine and displacing millions of people across the continent.
“…today 22million people in the horn of Africa, face starvation because of climate change endorsed drought,” he added.
Patricia Scotland, the Secretary General of Common Wealth Nations, who was present said that Climate Change in Africa is a central consideration for the Commonwealth family of Nations.
According to Patricia Scotland, Climate change is a threat developer intensifying the existing social political and economic disparity spiraling to conflict hence the urgency to take action for prevention is vital.
On the other hand, Ovais Sarmad, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in his speech urged African governments to take meaningful actions together to ensure achievements on Climate Change.
Countries were further advised to set a Budget for the state to take lead in the alleviation of climate change in a holistic approach to show efforts of putting aside climate change mitigation-related funds before seeking international aid.
Africa has been urged to speak with one voice regarding the Climate change crisis to gain attention from the world negotiation table in the forthcoming 27th Conference of Parties (COP 27) which will be held in Sharma El Sheikh-Egypt in November 2022.
African Climate Change week will see various considerations by African leaders in efforts to maintain a common voice regarding various issues relating to Climate Change threats.
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The climate week events are expected to come up with a document that will be tabled before the Global table of negotiators in effort to get global funding for climate crisis adaptation and mitigation measures.
