Lionel Messi has signed a new five-year deal with Barcelona that would last till 2021. Messi’s previous deal was scheduled to end in the summer of 2018.
Lionel Messi
The striker, who joined Barcelona at age 13, will sign the deal when he returns to training from a pre-season. The Argentine has scored a club record of 507 goals from 583 matches since his competitive debut in 2014. Messi, who is currently on honeymoon, is also La Liga’s record scorer on 249 goals.
The striker had been previously linked with a move to Manchester City, but his new contract ties him to the club until he is 34.
In Tennis, two-time Men’s champion, Rafael Nadal, returned to the Centre Court, with a 6-4,6-2,7-5 over Donald Young to reach the third round at Wimbledon. Nadal will face Russia’s 30th seed Karen Khachanov on Friday, July 7, 2017.
Two-time semi-finalist Jo-Wilfred Tsonga needed less than two hours to beat Italy’s Simeon Bolelli 6-1, 7-5, 6-2. Tsonga faces America’s Sam Querrey in third round, after the 24th seed saw off Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvlli 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
World number one Andy Murray and Johanna Konta both won on Centre Court as four British players reached the third round at Wimbledon for the first time in 20 years. Konta beat Croatia’s Donna Vekic 7-6, 4-6, 10-8 in three hours, 10 minutes.
Andy Murray then beat Dustin Brown of Germany, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. Murray moves on to a testing third round clash with Italy’s 28th seed Fabio Fognini on Friday.
In the Women’s Single, two-time champion Petra Kvitoya had an upset as she was eliminated in the second round by American Madison Brengle, 1-6, 6-1, 2-6 on Court Two.
The American had never won a single game at Wimbledon before this year, and is ranked 95th in the world.
Venus Williams, 37, lost the first set before defeating world number 55 Wang Qiang 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 to move into the last 32.
Former world number one, Victoria Azarenka, reached the third round with a 6-3, 6-3 win over 15th seed Elena Vesnina. Azarenka, 27, is playing only her second tournament of 2017, after giving birth to her son Leo in December.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, March 28, 2017 in Abuja signed the instrument of ratification of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Nigeria is the 146th Party to the treaty
Climate Scorecard compiled a comprehensive report on the status of the Paris Agreement in the Top Greenhouse Gas Emitting Countries. This report ranks each country as “Moving Forward”, “Standing Still”, or “Falling Behind” in terms of their current efforts to implement the Paris Agreement.
Of the 22 countries that the organisation evaluated, six are Moving Forward, four are Standing Still and 12 are Falling Behind.
“Contact your nation’s President or Prime Minister, and Environment Secretary. Ask them to do everything possible to see that your country increases its emissions reduction pledge to the Paris Agreement and fully implements its existing pledge. Such efforts are needed if the Paris Agreement is to fulfill its goals and keep our planet from warming beyond the 1.5 degree Celsius tipping point,” say Ron Israel and Lois Barber, Co-Directors of Climate Scorecard.
They are of the view that perhaps the lack of progress can be “mitigated somewhat by the efforts being made by some of the largest greenhouse gas emitting countries/regions, such as China, India, and the European Union.
“Until recently we could include the US in the Moving Forward category but President Trump’s decision to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement now puts the US as Falling Behind. Hopefully, emission reduction commitments being made by US states, cities, and businesses to honour the US pledge to the Paris Agreement will offset President Trump’s decision at the federal level,” they add.
The Climate Scorecard Report suggests that all countries have much work to do to honour their commitments to the Paris Agreement.
“Unless more countries increase their emission reduction goals and strengthen their policies, the Paris Agreement is in danger of not fulfilling its important mission. The effort to combat the Paris Agreement is a global one, and requires the active engagement of all countries.”
Climate Scorecard is a coordination of efforts by non-profit organisations The Global Citizens’ Initiative and EarthAction. An international team of university-based experts, environmental graduate students, and young professionals serve as Country Managers, who report on critical activity in the top 25 greenhouse gas-emitting countries, and track implementation of the Paris Agreement.
A not-for-profit group based in Calabar, Cross River State, the Rainforest Resource & Development Centre (RRDC), has questioned the Federal Government rationale for granting conditional approval for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report of the proposed six-lane, 275km long Superhighway project being promoted by the state government.
Flashback: President Muhammadu Buhari unveiling the plaque with Governor of Cross River, Prof. Ben Ayade, during the Ground Breaking Ceremony of the 260km Superhighway from Calabar to Northern Nigeria on 20th Oct 2015. Photo credit: vanguardngr.com
According to the RRDC, the Federal Ministry of Environment (FMEv) erred by giving the report such a consideration, given the quality and questionable status of the report as well as the implication of the project to the immediate environment.
In a statement made available to EnviroNews on Wednesday, July 5, 2017, Odey Oyama, Executive Director of RRDC, noted that the EIA Law, CAP. E12 does not contain any provisions for granting conditional approvals to proponents of deficient EIA reports presented to the FMEv for consideration.
“Rather issues pertaining to ‘conditions’ specified in the EIA Act are discussed in Sections 43 and 47 concerning the matter of ‘public hearing and substitution assessment by a review panel’. Thus the granting of conditional approval for fraudulent and environmentally defective EIA reports would appear to be outside the premise of the law,” stated Oyama.
Concerning the condition given by the FMEv for the Cross River State Government (CRSG) to re-route and realign the Superhighway, Oyama opined that part of the highway still falls within the gazetted boundaries of the Cross River National Park (CRNP), especially at the Oban Division.
The group commended the FMEv for specifying that the CRSG should gazette the reversal of revocation order on the acquisition of 10km on either side to the 70km span of the road corridor, as well as the boundary of the CRNP. According to Oyama, hitherto, the CRSG was in the practice of publishing Acquisition and Revocation Orders pertaining to the superhighway project in newspapers instead of official government gazettes.
On the condition bodering compensations, resettlement and restoration plans, the RRDC notes that, so far, the list of communities and persons to benefit from the compensations has not been compiled and established in compliance with the provisions of the Land Use Act No. 6, 1978 and the Land and Allied Matters Act.
“Thus, the condition remains vague and unenforceable until public declarations are made by the proponents of the project about the potential beneficiaries in compliance with national and international standards of best practice.”
The RRDC likewise underlined the fact that the enumeration of the people and communities that have to be resettled has not been conducted and the results published.
“Under these circumstances it would be difficult or impossible to monitor compliance with these conditions and establish when it would be said to have been completely fulfilled,” the body stated, even as it expressed concern over the fact that certain statements in the FMEv conditions reveal “fraudulent claims and fundamental omissions” in the EIA report, which was the fourth attempt by the CRSG.
Oyama declared: “It is our considered opinion therefore that, in line with the provisions of the EIA Act CAP. E12 (Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria – LFRN) and international standards pertaining to best practices, these deficiencies ought to have been rectified before the issuance of any type of EIA approval.
“It would be the RRDC understanding that if the proponents of the project are unable to comply with the conditions, then it shall be the duty of the Federal Ministry of Environment to state categorically the status of the approval at the expiration of two weeks. We however thank the Federal Ministry of Environment for their consideration of this matter and hope that the government of Cross River State will enforce necessary measures to effect compliance with the stipulated period of two weeks.”
In a related development, the RRDC has written to Governor Ben Ayade, demanding evidence of how the project will be funded.
The letter reads in part:
Dear Sir,
RE: APPLICATION FOR CERTIFIED TRUE COPIES OF DOCUMENTS/INSTRUMENTS IN RESPECT OF THE SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR THE SUPERHIGWAY PROJECT
Pursuant to the relevant provisions of the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN), we write to apply for certified through copies of all the documents and/or instruments pertaining to the source of funding for the superhighway project of Cross River State of Nigeria.
We understand that:
The project will be constructed through a distance of 260 Km from the water line at Bakassi Local Government Area (LGA), through the pristine Tropical Rainforest ecosystem to the extreme Northern boundary of Cross River State at Bekwara LGA, leading to Katsina-Ala in Benue State.
The highway will to be fitted with digital internet connectivity, speed cameras and toilet facilities; and
The cost of the project is estimated at over N800 billion.
We have however observed that, the true nature and source of funding and/or loan for this huge project has not yet been disclosed to the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Cross River State House of Assembly, as well as the entire people of Cross River State of Nigeria on whom the burden of repayment shall rest upon squarely. If the source is a loan, grant, donation or by the budget of the state, the law requires that the source must be disclosed to the Cross River State House Assembly for strict scrutiny. But so far there is no evidence that such disclosures have been made. Now therefore,
Having studied the 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th EIA versions of the superhighway project submitted to the Federal Ministry of Environment for scrutiny;
Having read the publication of the Federal Ministry of Environment granting provisional approval to the Cross River State Government for the superhighway EIA; and,
Having specifically studied the 20 Conditions of the Federal Ministry of Environment imposed as a precondition for the commencement of the construction of the superhighway;
Now therefore, in line with the doctrine of Transparency and Accountability, we the Rainforest Resource and Development Centre (RRDC), an NGO on Environment, Development and Information Delivery, a Company Limited by Guarantee and registered under PART C of the Corporate Affairs Commission, also acting in the capacity of the environmental consultants representing the Okuni community by the POWER OF ATTORNEY of the indigenous people of Okuni community, do hereby, in our dual capacity described above, apply for the urgent release of the information requested above in compliance with the subsisting laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
We would like to draw His Excellency’s attention to the fact that our request is anchored under the dispensation granted us by the
Freedom of Information Act, 2011,
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act 2004,
ICPC Act, and
OTHER extant Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as well as
Related International treaties and conventions which Nigeria is a signatory.
We thank Your Excellency for your kind cooperation.
The media have been charged to report evidenced-based issues on corruption in order to strengthen the fight against corruption in the Nigeria.
Participants at the UNODC forum in Lagos
Making this call in Lagos on Wednesday, July 5, 2017 in her remarks at the close of a three-day Annual Media Meeting on Anti-Corruption in Nigeria, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Country Representative, Ms Christina Albertin, described the role of the media as a key prevention tool in the fight against corruption that is reflected in several chapters in the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), which is the only legally binding universal anti-corruption instrument with 140 signatories and 181 state parties till date.
According to Ms Albertin, who was represented by UNODC Project Coordinator, Response to Drugs Project, Mr Glen Pritchard, corruption has disastrous impacts on development and that, if left unchecked, it is a serious impediment to sustainable development and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development throughout the world.
“It also breaches the essential trust between citizens and governments, as well as businesses and consumers. Therefore, it is critical that everyone in the community including media officers take up a responsibility to prevent and fight corruption,” she said.
Stressing further, the Country Rep who expressed delight that some follow-up steps from the last annual meeting were discussed, including the call for the media to dedicate more airtime and content on anti-corruption to further raise awareness and enlighten the public on issues of anti-corruption; enthused that she was happy that discussions encouraged Anti-Corruption Agencies (ACAs) and the media to partner collaboratively and regularly on public enlightenment issues relating to anti-corruption, including the use of different social media platforms.
“It is our hope that ACAs and the media community continue with this collaborative partnership beyond the project so tangible impact through public enlightenment on anti-corruption is achieved across the country,” she added.
Meanwhile, before the wrap-up of the workshop which had 33 participants in attendance, comprising 11 Anti-Corruption Agencies (ACAs), 22 journalists and four resource persons drew-up a communique, underlining the need to foster institutional mechanism and concerted efforts that would promote the delivery of quality dissemination of information to the public on anti-corruption matters realising the interconnectedness of ACAs and the media.
They, however, observed that while the Nigerian media are getting more involved in the anti-corruption crusade, the campaign is still threatened by sensationalising corruption news, fake news/information being disseminated on the social media and inadequate flow of information from the ACAs to the media, as well as the media not giving adequate attention to anti-corruption.
To this end, the communique, which recommended that media houses should establish Anti-Corruption Desks, called on UNODC and ACAs to encourage the media houses in achieving this objective.
Also, it called on media houses to follow up on anti-corruption stories to their logical conclusions, while exploring the use of infographics in telling corruption stories. It reiterated that journalists should report evidence-based issues on corruption, maintain their integrity and credibility by checking their facts.
Stressing further, the communique outlined the need for journalists to be sensitive when reporting corruption issues in order not to glamourise crime, adding that there is the need to avoid sensationalism in reporting anti-corruption news, while law enforcement agencies are also urged to avoid media trials of suspects.
The participants, who commended UNODC and the European Union (EU) for their support to Nigeria in the fight against corruption, called on the media and ACAs to see themselves as advocates and partners in the fight against corruption.
The 17th meeting of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Board opened on Wednesday, July 5, 2017, with a major goal to strengthen the Fund’s focus on targeting strong climate finance initiatives.
GCF co-chair, Mr. Ewen McDonald
The GCF Board’s 24 members will work to strengthen the policies underpinning GCF’s support for projects that reduce emissions and boost the resilience of communities to climate change.
More than 300 GCF Partners have gathered at the Fund’s headquarters in Songdo, South Korea, for the two-day meeting. They include observers from civil society and private sector organisations, National Designated Authorities (NDAs), which act as the main national conduits to the Fund, as well as Accredited Entities and other Partners that assist in delivering finance for climate action.
This is the second GCF Board gathering of the year. It follows a call by the GCF Board at its 16th meeting in April to focus on implementation.
To further this goal, the start of the Board meeting on Wednesday was preceded by informal consultations which focused on policy matters related to the approval of funding proposals.
Highlights of the next two days include discussions of GCF’s readiness support to boost the capacities of countries to seek and implement climate finance, the accreditation of new entities that carry out GCF-supported activities, as well as discussions on how GCF can support REDD+.
Meetings of the Board are co-chaired this year by Mr. Ayman Shasly, of Saudi Arabia, and Mr. Ewen McDonald, of Australia.
Board meetings represent timely signposts to GCF’s recent progress and future direction. During the past quarter of the year, GCF has been stepping up its transfer of funds for approved climate finance projects.
Makoko community is a slum neighbourhood on the mainland of Lagos State in Nigeria, where women eke out a living from fishing. The community was established in the 18th century as primarily a fishing community. According to the 2006 census data, the population of Makoko is estimated at 85,840 comprising Nigerians from diverse ethnicities and religions.
Makoko community is a slum neighbourhood on the mainland of Lagos State
Makoko community has more than 200 women in the fishing business ranging from fisherwomen to fish traders.
This reporter took a canoe trip on the Lagoon to interact with some fisherwomen in Makoko. The canoe trip, which lasted for about 30 minutes, provided an insight into the challenges encountered by the fisherwoman. A particular scene that comes to mind was the many fishing traps and fishing nets that dot the Lagoon waterways and women waiting on the banks of the Lagoon to buy fishes caught by both fishermen and fisherwomen. Some of the women spoke to EnviroNews about the challenges they face in the course of fishing in the Lagoon.
The case of Memunat Saliu is particularly interesting as she disclosed that she handles the mechanical aspect of servicing her canoe because engines are expensive to maintain.
“We are in competition with our male folk and it has not been easy. We are easily discriminated against because of our gender and this has made life more challenging for us as fisherwomen. You can imagine that I personally handle the maintenance of my canoe so that I can save some more money for my family. I must confess to you, it is difficult being a fisherwoman in Lagos,” Saliu says.
For Madam Lowe, the actions of the Lagos state Government have not been encouraging despite promises to the contrary.
“We face a lot of challenges on the waters; water hyacinth is also a big problem for us to maneuver our canoes, our engines get spoilt easily as we battle with this leaves on a daily basis,” laments Lowe.
The traditional ruler of Makoko, (known as Baale in the local dialect), Chief Samuel Adebowale Abo-Oluwa Erejuwa, concurrs that fisherwomen in the community face a lot of challenges including lack of access to fishing tools, boat engines, hooks and quality fishing nets. The traditional ruler emphasises that, in the allocation of fishery resources, preference is given to fishermen than fisherwomen.
Chief Abo-Oluwa Erejuwa pleadswith the Lagos State Government to intervene in rehabilitating the fishing market and empowering fisherwomen to enjoy equal opportunity with their male counterparts.
However, one promising aspect of Makoko fisherwomen is that they are involved in both the harvest and post-harvest value chains of fishing. The women are both fisherwomen and fish sellers. After a successful catch as fisherwomen, the women return to Asejere fish market (one of the biggest fish markets in Lagos) located within a distance from Makoko, where they engage directly with fish traders.
The Iya Oloja (female market leader) of Asejere Market, Alhaja Moduoe Kaosara Adebayo, notes that women in the fish business are very hard working and they need urgent support from the state government. She adds that Makoko produces the largest tons of fish in the whole of Lagos State which is also sold by the women on the market. But she adds that government needs to do more for women in fishery.
However, the member representing the Lagos Mainland Federal Constituency at the Nigerian parliament, Jide Jimoh, says that all hands are on desk to improve the trade and empower the women to reposition the Nigerian economy.
Jimoh discloses that motions are in place to push the need for Makoko women to get the needed support from the federal and state governments as, according to him government is trying to diversify the Nigerian economy.
The Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture says it is set to support the women in the fishing business. Commissioner for Agriculture, Oluwatoyin Suarau, adds that government is determined to build a bright future for those in the fishing sector, especially women.
Mr. Suarau explains that the state government has introduced numerous ways to improve fishing as, he adds, this will in turn improve the standard of living of such women through provision of modern day facility like modern day fishing tools to maximise the benefit of the abundance of water resources which accounts for about 22% of the state’s land mass.
Women in the fishing business in Makoko will be glad, if the government comes to their aid and support their business; this will in turn encourage youths to focus more on agriculture, especially, fishing as a means of livelihood in the state and Nigeria in general.
Importantly, this will be in line with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries, which promotes gender equality in the fishing sector. The guidelines propose that “all parties should recognise that achieving gender equality requires concerted efforts by all and that gender mainstreaming should be an integral part of all small-scale fisheries development strategies”.
Lagos is a centre of excellence and it is anticipated that its governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, should take the lead in mainstreaming gender in the small-scale fisheries segment in the state.
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee on Wednesday, July 5, 2017 adopted a decision urging Poland to immediately halt all logging and wood extraction in the old-growth forests of Białowieża.
Wolves In the Białowieża Forest, Poland. Photo credit: wildpoland.com
The decision follows the advice of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) – the official advisory body on nature to UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, which meets this week in Kraków, Poland.
IUCN is expected to carry out a mission to assess whether the site’s unique values, which include intact ecological processes, are at risk. Poland has been requested to submit a report on the conservation of the site by December 2018. Should danger to the site’s Outstanding Universal Value be confirmed, Białowieża will be considered for inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2019.
“The old-growth forests of Białowieża are one of the main reasons why it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list,” said Tim Badman, Director of IUCN’s World Heritage Programme. “It is critically important – and a global responsibility – that the Outstanding Universal Value of this ancient forest be preserved for future generations. IUCN looks forward to engaging with Poland to carry out a monitoring mission to Białowieża, in order to assess the situation and identify and agreed adequate measures to conserve the site.”
Poland has been undertaking wood extraction and logging in Białowieża Forest. The site, which is protected under the European Union’s Natura 2000 initiative, was the subject of European Commission’s announcement, in June 2016, of an infringement procedure against Poland, which noted that increased logging in Białowieża is likely to cause irreparable biodiversity loss.
“IUCN remains concerned with the activity in Białowieża and will work with Poland to find the right management solutions to preserve this unique European site,” said Luc Bas, Director of IUCN’s European Regional Office.
Białowieża Forest was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1979 as one of the first World Heritage sites. The site was then extended twice, in 1992 and 2014. Today, it covers a total area of 141,885 hectares across the Polish-Belarusian boarder. It is one of the few remaining primeval forests on the European continent. It is home to the iconic European Bison and hosts more than 250 bird and over 12,000 invertebrate species.
Ahead of the G20 meeting which starts in Hamburg, Germany at the end of the week, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has published a report showing that clean energy could achieve 90% of the energy-related CO emission reductions required to meet the central goals of the Paris Climate Change Agreement.
Dolf Gielen, Director of IRENA’s Innovation and Technology Centre
Nations agreed in Paris in 2015 to limit the global average temperature rise to as close as possible to a maximum 2 degrees Celsius. This requires reducing energy-related carbon dioxide emissions by more than 70 per cent by 2050 compared to 2015 levels, which can only be achieved with the massive deployment of renewable forms of energy such as wind, solar and hydro, combined with energy efficiency.
IRENA says that further technological breakthroughs and new business models are needed to fulfil this potential. The study seeks to identify priorities for innovation that will enable the decarbonisation of the energy sector.
Based on the current status and future needs for low-carbon technologies in 13 distinct sectors, renewables could account for two-thirds of primary energy supply in 2050, up from just 16 per cent today, says IRENA. But this means the growth rate of the share of renewables in total final energy consumption needs to rise seven-fold and be sustained until 2050.
“Renewable energy innovation is starting to really change gears,” says Dolf Gielen, Director of the IRENA Innovation and Technology Centre. “As more and more technologies become cost effective, there is now a shift of attention from technology innovation, towards business-model innovation, innovation in markets and regulation, and innovation in financing. The combination of all of these innovations together is creating a great momentum, and we are going to see a lot of pleasant surprises in the coming years.”
In a year already marked by heatwaves and new daily temperature records, television weather presenters have explored how climate change would make future summers even hotter in some of the world’s major cities.
BBC weather presenter, Carol Kirkwood
If greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase, Earth’s average global surface temperature could rise more than 4°C (7.2°F) by the end of the 21st century. But what does this global average really mean for the daily lives of people living in Madrid, or Ha Noi, or Montreal?
To find out, Climate Central, a research and communications organisation based in the United States of America, downscaled the global climate models assessed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to see the effect on summer temperatures in various cities by the year 2100. It used two different climate change scenarios (high emissions and moderate emissions) and matched each selected city with a city that already experiences such temperatures.
The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and Climate Central invited weather presenters from a dozen countries to work with meteorological services and other national experts to explore the implications. For example, by the end of the century the citizens of Paris (where daily summer high temperatures now average 22.7°C) may see summer high temperatures like those today in Fez, Morocco (29.2°C).
Many of the assessed cities could see their maximum daily temperatures in summer rise by as much as 6-9°C. No place on Earth is currently as hot as the summer highs that cities such as Doha and Baghdad could experience if global emissions remain high.
Other cities featured in the videos include Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels, Buenos Aires, Cape Town, Frankfurt, Hanoi, Havana, Kampala, Madrid, Montreal, Nairobi, Sofia and Tokyo.
“What the weather presenters have created are only possible scenarios, and not true forecasts. Nevertheless, they are based on the most up-to-date climate science, and they paint a compelling picture of how climate change may impact daily life in cities where most of the world’s population lives. Urban warming could be double that of surrounding areas due to the presence of stone materials and paved roads. This would lead in particular to higher night-time temperatures,” said WMO Secretary-General, Petteri Taalas.
“The enhanced heat – and an expected increase in associated extreme weather like summer storms – will have major implications for energy and water supplies, public health and transportation. More intense heatwaves would also often lead to poorer air quality, which can even be lethal,” he said.
Miguel Ángel Mancera, the Mayor of Mexico City and the Vice Chair of C40 Cities for Latin America, said: “By 2050, about 80 per cent of the world’s population will live in urban areas. Fortunately, a growing number of cities around the world have committed to taking action to reduce emissions and pursue sustainable development. I am convinced that with local action we can achieve global goals.”
The new video series is part of an initiative by WMO and weather presenters to make climate science more accessible so that the public can better understand how climate change affects the local and national weather conditions that impact our daily lives.
In a similar exercise, WMO previously worked with some 60 weather presenters on “weather reports from the year 2050.” Four series of reports were launched in conjunction with the Paris climate change conference (COP 21), the Third World Conference on Disaster risk Reduction held in Sendai, the Lima climate change conference (COP 20) and the UN Climate Summit in New York.
Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed on Monday, July 3, 2017 called for the strengthening of the relationship between the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) in order to deliver on promised development for Africa’s youth.
Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, at the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Photo credit: African Union Commission
Addressing her first African Union Summit since taking office, Ms. Mohammed said that the AU’s thematic focus this year on youth is a “powerful reminder” of the core principle at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the AU’s strategic framework known as Agenda 2063 and other global agreements, namely, creating a better world for the next generation.
“For the 226 million young people aged 15 to 24 living in Africa today, these agendas address challenges and opportunities that are integral to their futures,” she said.
“Today you are here taking decisions that will ensure that Africa benefits from the full potential of all its people, including young women and men,” she added, in a nod to this year’s theme of Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through investments in Youth.
“Investing in our youth today reaps the dividend of a peaceful and prosperous Africa tomorrow.”
Addressing leaders from across the continent who have gathered at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Ms. Mohammed called for “building new bridges between us, and fortifying the ones that already exist” to deliver on the promises of the development agenda for Africa and its people.
In April, the UN-AU annual conference in New York resulted in a joint framework for enhanced partnership on peace and security. The two organisations are now preparing a joint framework on sustainable development, focusing on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and of Agenda 2063, according to Ms. Mohammed.
She also noted that the UN will be collaborating with the AU on a new UN-European Union initiative to be launched at the UN General Assembly this September to end gender-based violence around the world.
The deputy UN chief also highlighted some of the other areas where the UN and the AU are working more closely, including on efforts to enhance the UN’s partnership with Africa’s regional economic communities in areas of peacekeeping, elections and democratic transitions.
Secretary-General António Guterres recently reiterated the need for “predictable, reliable and sustainable” financing for AU peace operations, and is said to be working on a set of concrete proposals for the UN Security Council.
“Our efforts should continue to be based on urgency, flexibility and innovation to improve complementarity, cost-effectiveness and impact,” Ms. Mohammed said.
She also echoed Mr. Guterres’ call at the G7 summit in Italy, where he urged world leaders to invest in young people, with stronger investment in technology, relevant education and capacity-building in Africa.
“The challenge of strengthening Africa’s human capital, starting with its young people, has galvanised commitments to promote their rights and invest in quality and relevant education at all levels, health, science and technology and innovation,” said Ms. Mohammed.
