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Africa urged to strengthen its climate change position ahead of COP28

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Africa must consolidate its common position in the fight against climate change ahead of the climate talks COP28 in the United Arab Emirates.

The Pan African Parliament hosted a two-day summit in Midrand, north of Johannesburg, on combating climate change in the continent.

The continental project Agenda 2063 which was concluded in 2023, recognises climate change as a major challenge for the continent’s development.

The impact of climate change in Africa is visible. This is something many countries are grappling with.

Southern Africa has also seen unprecedented floods and in the Horn of Africa, crippling drought has left millions scrambling for water.

The Pan African Parliament says it’s high time climate change is given undivided attention.

African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Josefa Sacko says, “We need to accelerate progress on climate change. We’re also on a 3rd decade of climate talks but the harsh reality is emissions continue to rise while vital climate funding fails to be disbursed. In COP21, there was $120 billion, and up to now nothing has been given to us.”

There are calls for Africa to find innovative ways to find solutions.

UN Resident Coordinator in South Africa, Nelson Muffuh says, “Indigenous African knowledge we can start with those in our communities living with climatic changes and we have African civil society and African private sector and we are ready to support these actions as the united nations and our international partners.”

Executive Director of Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance, Mithika Mwenda says, “We are looking for solutions which have manifested like what we have seen in Southern Africa hurricanes like in Idai in Malawi that destroyed villages and horn of Africa. We have seen drought we have never seen before.”

European Parliament Representative, Pierre Larroututou says, “It’s high time to find money, not a refund, in order to win the battle of climate change, and EU parliament has passed two laws and PAP will help us climate summit to be held in Paris.”

Meanwhile, Kenyan President William Ruto who is part of the AU’s Head of State Committee on Climate Change is expected to attend the last session on Wednesday.

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