At the 19th ordinary session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment and Natural Resources (AMCEN), the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN) is highlighting the continent’s priorities for COP28.
The session, usually held for African countries to discuss and strengthen environmental governance, is this year taking place from August 14 to 18, 2023, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the theme: “Seizing opportunities and enhancing collaboration to address environmental challenges in Africa”.
During the official opening, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Africa Regional Director, Rose Mwebaza, committed to continued collaboration with member states and other relevant African institutions to address environmental challenges facing the continent.
Ms. Mwebaza singled out the collaboration that has over the years existed between UNEP and the AGN, which has led to effective participation of the continent in climate negotiations.
She particularly highlighted the historic loss and damage outcome at COP27 as one of the positives out of consistent collaboration and the need to speak with a unified voice.
“It is worth noting that this 19th session comes at a time when the Africa region has continued to play pivotal roles in the global environmental arena,” observed Ms. Mwebaza. “Towards the end of last year, for instance, we witnessed a historic establishment of the ‘Loss and Damage Fund’ from the United Nations Climate Conference (COP27) that was pleasantly hosted here on the African soil in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. It is critical for the region – and you in particular as experts, to continually engage in getting this fund off the ground – in the spirit of ‘Siezing Opportunities’, as this first step marks a significant progress towards a promising future for the African countries that are most vulnerable and impacted by the effects of climate change.”
And reporting to the AMCEN technical experts’ session, Chair of AGN, Ephraim Mwepya Shitima, highlighted Africa’s priorities for COP28 and reiterated the importance of continued unity and speaking with one voice.
Mr. Shitima pledged AGN’s commitment to safeguarding Africa’s interests in the climate negotiation processes.
“We remain steadfast in our quest for fair and just outcomes from these processes,” Mr. Shitima told the AMCEN delegates. “Our call is that COP 28 should deliver ambitious, balanced, fair and just outcomes that should set the world on a course to effectively address climate change on several fronts including adaptation, loss and damage, finance and mitigation. COP28 is also about the Global Stocktake; we expect the outcome of the GST to reflect and take into consideration Africa’s special development circumstances and provides the policy space necessary for Africa to achieve sustainable development and just transition to low emission and resilient development pathways.”
The session is aimed at strengthening collaboration among the various institutions and enhance implementation of regional and global environmental frameworks in order to address the environmental challenges facing the continent. This entails building on existing initiatives, including strengthening the role of those institutions that support implementation of regional and global outcomes.
The session is also providing a platform for strengthening Africa’s collective engagement in the global environmental agenda, including in the various conference of the parties of environmental agreements, the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) and other multilateral processes related to combating climate change, desertification, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution, among others, and ensure that the region is not only able to address the challenges in these areas but also seizes emerging opportunities for a sustainable development of the continent.
Earlier, during a meeting held for major groups and stakeholders held from August 12 to 13, 2023, the African civil society organisations under the umbrella of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) called for African leaders to remain united for climate justice.
“We are outraged and appalled by the current state of the global climate negotiations and developed countries’ lack of ambition and commitment to fulfil their historical responsibilities and legal obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Paris Agreement,” reads the CSOs statement. “We are therefore deeply concerned about the change in the stance of some African leaders regarding climate justice. For many years, Africa has stood firmly behind the principle of common but differentiated responsibility and capabilities. However, we have observed a shift towards a principle of shared responsibility, which is worrying.”
By Friday Phiri
