Africa Climate Summit crucial to speak in one voice about climate change: Commissioner Sacko

Addis Ababa, August 17, 2023 (FBC) – The first Africa Climate Summit is significantly important for the continent to take common position and speak in one voice about the challenges of climate change, African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment Josefa Sacko said.

The summit under the theme “Driving Green Growth and Climate Finance Solutions for Africa and the World” will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, from September 4 to 6 2023 and address climate change challenges and advance sustainable solutions in Africa.

Briefing journalists on last Wednesday, Commissioner Sacko said that Africa is determined to bring about transformative development in order to achieve Agenda 2063.

Africa has embarked on a number of flagship projects to materialize the continent’s aspiration in the blueprint, she stated, and added “we are not seeing much progress because of the climate change.”

Sacko is quoted by ENA as saying “Africa has the right human and natural resources to achieve our development goals and to contribute to the development of other regions as well as to addressing global challenges,.”

“Yet about 400 million of our people in Africa have no access to clean drinking water and 700 million have no access to good sanitation. As if that is not enough, about 54% of the population is currently in darkness due to lack of electricity, while 800 million people in Africa have no access to clean cooking means, which implies that they are exposed to black carbon which is risky for their health,” she elaborated.

Climate change has had a knockout effect on Africa’s development and continues to subject more and more Africans into hunger and malnutrition, stuntedness and poverty, the commissioner pointed out, and stressed “our economies are also shrinking due to the effects of climate change and recovery from the impacts of COVID-19 has been slow.”

According to her, debt stress has been compounded by the impacts of COVID-19, climate change and the unfair international monetary systems, which tend to be biased against Africa.

The summit will focus just energy transition, green minerals and manufacturing, sustainable agriculture land and water use, sustainable infrastructure and urbanization, and natural capital, it was indicated.

The summit will also provide a platform to address the intersection of climate change for Africa’s development and for increased global investment in climate action, particularly in Africa.

Leaders of African countries and many other international institutions are expected to attend the summit.